"THE FINNISH ICE HOCKEY NEXT POWER"ILKKA PIKKARAINEN"SUOMI-FINLAND)

A long trip to the NHL for NJ Devils winger Ilkka Pikkarainen

October 08, 2009, 9:46AM

Former Devils defenseman Kevin Dean celebrates a goal on April 26, 1997.Of all the players the Devils have drafted since 1982, only Ricard Persson took longer to play his first NHL game for New Jersey than Ilkka Pikkarainen.

Pikkarainen made his NHL debut Monday night against the Rangers, seven years after he was drafted by the Devils. A list provided by the Elias Sports Bureau shows that Persson took eight years to debut with the Devils after being drafted in 1987.

Along with Pikkarainen, defensemen Kevin Dean and Brad Bombardir also took seven years to make it to the NHL.

Ricard Persson drafted 1987 Devils debut 1995-96 (8 years)

Kevin Dean drafted 1987 Devils debut 1994-95 (7 years)

Ilkka Pikkarainen drafted 2002 Devils debut 2009-10 (7 years)

Brad Bombardir drafted 1990 Devils debut 1997-98 (7 years)

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The Devils held their morning skate at the St. Pete Times Forum Thursday morning and everyone took part, including rookie defenseman Mark Fraser.

Fraser remains on injured reserve.

One line was Matt Halishuck-Rod Pelley-Pikkarainen. Halischuck will play upfront as the Devils scratch both enforcers, Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblond and Andrew Peters, in trying to match up with the speedier Lightning.

As expected, coach Steve Stevens is not traveling with the Devils.

The Devils will get to see Victor Hedman, Tampa Bay's first pick in June's entry draft and the second pick overall behind John Tavares.

They will also face former Devils defenseman David Hale, who was traded from Phoenix to the Lightning.

"We're really deep. We have eight 'D' right now and everybody can play," Hale said Thursday morning. "This is going to be fun to be part of."

Hale said it was a shame Wayne Gretzky decided to step down in Phoenix amidst all the uncertainty.

"I know he really enjoyed it," Hale said. "It's unfortunate for the city, for the game. I know he'll be able to find a spot doing whatever he wants to do in the future."

The Devils will use Andy Greene on defense instead of Cory Murphy, who was scratched and was hoping to face his former club.

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Neither the Devils nor the Lightning have won a game yet. Tampa Bay is 0-1-1 and the Devils 0-2.

"That's the biggest challenge for this team, the mental part of it. The negativity," Lightning coach Rick Tocchet said. "We need some positives. You'd like to win 7-0 or 8-0, but that doesn't happen."