SUNRISE, Fla. — Kurtis Foster didn’t know which team he was joining when he left Ducks practice in California on Monday, and after finding out, had to layover in Dallas for a 5:45 a.m. flight here. Yet the just-acquired defenseman still planned to make his Devils debut against the Panthers on Tuesday night.
“It’s been a long travel day and last night, but once I get the adrenaline going, I’m sure I’ll be fine,” Foster said after practicing with a few new teammates during a very optional workout here this morning.
“We had a 1 o’clock practice yesterday, and I got called off the ice about 10 minutes in,” Foster said. “[Ducks GM] Bob Murray told me they were going to move me, but couldn’t tell me where yet. So I was showered and ready to go, not really knowing where. As I drove home, he gave me a call and told me ‘The Devils.’
“I talked to Lou [Lamoriello], then I got home, had a couple hours to pack and was on a flight to Dallas, got in around 10:30 p.m. Tried to get some sleep, around midnight, and was up at 3:30 a.m. to catch a 5:45 a.m. flight and got here right before I came to the rink.”
Foster, 30, was acquired by the Devils from the Ducks on Monday with farmhand goalie Timo Pielmeier of Germany for seldom-used defenseman Mark Fraser, center Rod Pelley and a seventh-round pick.
Devils coach Pete DeBoer left the practice rink Tuesday morning before confirming Foster’s plan to be in the lineup.
The 6-5 defenseman was traded to the Ducks on July 1 by Edmonton for Andy Sutton, but missed training camp and the start of the season when wire wrapped around a rod in his femur unraveled and penetrated his quad muscles, causing inflammation and pain, requiring surgery.
“I missed all of exhibition and training camp because of my leg. I missed five weeks and was kind of behind the 8-ball,” Foster said. “Randy Carlyle is a pretty tough coach to start from behind the 8-ball with.”
Foster was a second-round pick by Calgary in 2000, and began his career with Atlanta before making his mark under Jacques Lemaire in Minnesota. He suffered a broken leg chasing down an icing in 2008, and it cost him nearly a year of play, and now, more.
Lamoriello said he acquired Foster for his shot and power-play work.
“My game shooting the puck and creating as much offense as possible,” Foster said.
It appeared Foster would take the lineup spot of either Matt Taormina or Alexander Urbom after both played in Monday night’s 5-4 victory at Tampa Bay.