Preseason Planning

Back from a week’s vacation, including 3 days in Maryland and witnessing a no-hitter.  So of course during my travels actual news hits:

The first two preseason games have been scheduled, and both are on the road: On October 1st, Albany travels to Hershey for a 7 PM faceoff against the Bears, then head north on Interstate 81 to Wilkes-Barre on October 2nd for a 7 PM match against the Penguins.  I’m expecting at least one or two more games to be announced in the near future, including an obligatory matchup against the Phantoms.

Also announced this week: another addition to the coaching/developmental staff, with the hiring of Pertti Hasanen as a developmental/skills coach.  He joins the Devils organization after spending several years with Boston University as an assistant coach, then as director of hockey operations and player development.  He also has coaching experience with UMass-Lowell (as an assistant) and overseas in Finland, Norway and Italy as a head coach, along with running his own hockey school.  Most recently, he worked with prospects during New Jersey’s developmental camp last month.