Devils coach Pete DeBoer arrived to the organization's prospect camp today, getting in last night after the storm had passed. He returned to Newark with his coaching staff now filled after the additions of Scott Stevens and Matt Shaw earlier in the week.

He spoke highly of his new staff. He and Stevens would spend time after home games last season writing evaluation reports and in turn it afforded DeBoer a chance to learn the way Stevens thinks. It's why he thought Devils great would be a natural to fill the role of the departed Larry Robinson.

"Obviously Scott Stevens is a natural fit," DeBoer said after the early portion of today's camp. "I think he seemlessly jumps in for Larry, both in his pedigree as a player and in his coaching ability. The other thing is the experience that Larry had behind the bench but that’s something Scott will pick up quickly."

Those nights gave DeBoer an insight into a smart hockey mind.

"Very good hockey IQ," the coach said of Stevens. "He obviously has that presence, the same type of presence he had as a player...We believe he has the characteristics that he can be (a great coach)."

In Shaw, DeBoer saw a chance to add someone who had been at the helm of one of the NHL's best power plays. In Shaw's three years in San Jose, the Sharks finished fourth, second, and second in the league on the power play. Shaw will spend games upstairs, replacing Dave Barr, who will move to the bench.

"It’s not very often you’re looking for a coach – especially a guy that can run the power play part of your system – somebody that has one of the top three power plays in the league the last three or four years, led the league in shots on the power play the last three or four years," DeBoer said. "The fact that he’s available too is something we feel very fortunate about."

In relation, the turnover on the coaching staff is small compared to the loss in personnel that the Devils suffered. With Zach Parise now in Minnesota, they will have to replace their second-leading goal scorer.

"Your initial reaction is disappointment," DeBoer said. "You’re happy for Zach in that he got rewarded with a contract he did. You can see his excitement and happiness to be able to go home and play in front of his parents and family. On our end it’s disappointment to not having the opportunity to work with him. He’s such a great kid and he stands for all the right things. He’s obviously an important part of our team. This league allows you to feel sorry for yourself for about two minutes then you have to pick yourself up and come up with a plan moving forward. That’s where we are now: moving forward.

DeBoer then added: "We have to. I think the one thing about our group that we’ve shown last year and even in prior years is that this program is bigger than individual people. We found a way over the years, and especially the last season, to fill holes. Travis Zajac missed the entire year. Ilya Kovalchuk went down in Game 2 of the Philadelphia series down 1-0. We lose that game, maybe we’re out watching and we play one of our best games of the year. That’s the mentality here."

While general manager Lou Lamoriello has stressed repeatedly that no player will replace Parise, he did say that he could foresee someone - like Mattias Tedenby -- stepping up.

DeBoer is not ready to name any names but knows that the opportunity is out there.

"Training camp will dictate and show all that," he said. "There’s going to be opportunity there. Not only for guys who weren’t here last year – like the Tedenby’s for most of the year – but also internally for guys to jump up lines, play bigger roles or get power play time where maybe they didn’t before. That hole leaves opportunity for all kinds of people."

With that in mind, and after a season where Stephen Gionta turned from AHL player into a cog on the Devils' most consistent line in the postseason, DeBoer believes that it will inspire other players -- including the ones he spent this morning watching.

"I think everyone in the organizations senses opportunity here," DeBoer said. "When you see guys like Stephen Gionta come in and do what he did last year in the playoffs for us and play the role he did. Peter Harrold. I think that’s showing everyone in the organization: you come in, we’re not going to look at where you were drafted or even how big a numbers you’re putting up where you are. If you can show you can play and play the right way, there’s opportunity there. I think when that message gets delivered with the type of guys that it did last year that adds to the enthusiasm to the group here that if you do things right you get a chance to play."

Other than filling Parise's role and his hole in the statbook, there is also the question of naming a new captain. Though that question is not high on the priority list.

"I haven’t put a date on it," DeBoer said. "To be honest with you it’s way down on my list of things that we’re concentrating on. But we’ll get to it eventually."

"I’m very comfortable in our leadership group. I said that when Zach was here wearing the 'C', this wasn’t a one man job."

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DeBoer was asked if he could see Stefan Matteau become a David Clarkson-like player, this is his reaction after seeing him play during the morning session.

"I haven’t gotten a big enough view of him to see exactly what he’s going to be but the scouting report, where he was drafted all say he’s going to be that type of player. That’s the foot in the door, now it’s up to him to see where he takes that."