Just as the hockey season finally, finally came to an end last night (and what an ending it was…I think the Bruins may still be trying to figure out what happened in those 17 seconds), an early hint for 2013-14 has come. Yesterday the Devils announced that the home opener for the 2013-14 season will take place on Saturday, October 12th. With other teams releasing their guaranteed home dates, I noticed that quite a few teams have their home openers on October 5th. So by process of elimination, it appears the Devils will be opening the season on the road for the first time in team history. And hence the return of the awkward looking WordPress Milestone Countdown Square at the bottom of the page!
In actual player news, per a couple of Twitter sources New Jersey has made a qualifying offer to restricted free agent forward Jacob Josefson. Much like his recently signed teammate Mattias Tedenby, Josefson had quite an up and down 2012-13 season. He started in Albany during the lockout, then joined the parent club upon the season resuming in January. He was sent back to Albany in February, only to be recalled for one appearance (which just happened to be the game I was at, Winnipeg on February 24th at The Rock). He sat out almost a month after taking a puck to the ear against Adirondack on March 10th, then after coming back on April 2nd in Springfield he was recalled to New Jersey for the remainder of the season. While his stats in the NHL weren’t much to write home about (1 goal in 22 games and a -10 rating), he played well here, with 10 goals and 15 assists in 38 games. Also like Tedenby, this may also be the last chance for the 2009 1st round draft pick to stick with the parent club. Now if only there were ways to keep him from getting injured all the time…
There is one last chance for you to win two tickets to the 2013 NHL Draft at The Rock on Sunday…another drawing will be held on Thursday for 25 more pairs of tickets. You can find the entry form here. For those who can’t get in but still want to be part of the fun, the Devils are holding a Fan Fest in Championship Plaza Sunday morning from 10:30-2:30, just before the Draft gets underway at 3 PM. I entered the second drawing after not winning the first time around…still don’t expect to get any tickets. So the chances of me making the trip down are, shall we say, slim at best?
Thoughts Inside The Box 
Let me know when Clarkson Signs..
& I swear there was already a year or 2 the devils started out on the road & I believe it was after 2000. (or do you mean Albany Devils?)
The current Albany team. First 3 years the first game was always at home.