NEW YORK -- One of the final steps of implementing an offseason improvement plan is putting a particular skill to work in games. After all, that's what players work all summer for, right?
Pavel Zacha and Will Butcher both did so on Thursday.
Even though 2-0 loss to the New York Islanders at Barclays Center didn't show much in terms of offensive results for the Devils, it did give a glimpse into the offensive mindsets for Zacha and Butcher.
Zacha, a third-year forward, wanted to establish a higher presence and aggression with the puck.