Devils resting Hall, Palmieri, Vatanen, Zajac vs. Capitals

A game after clinching a playoff spot with a win against the Toronto Maple Leafs, the New Jersey Devils will be resting a handful of their stars in Game 82 of the regular season.

Forwards Taylor Hall, Kyle Palmieri, and Travis Zajac, as well as defenseman Sami Vatanen, will sit on Saturday when the Devils conclude the regular season against the Washington Capitals.

"I'm good with it," Hall said, according to Stephen Whyno of The Associated Press. "It's a good time to get some rest and recuperate a little bit. We've played a lot of hockey lately, and a lot of the stuff in the standings is out of our hands other than our game tonight. Yeah, I'm cool with it."

Head coach John Hynes said his decision to sit some of his stars also gives other players a chance to prove they deserve to be in the lineup for the playoffs, according to MSG Networks' Steve Cangialosi.

Despite just one game remaining, it's still unclear as to who the Devils will face in the first round. Depending on the results from Saturday's action and Sunday's lone contest, the team could play the Pittsburgh Penguins, Washington Capitals, Tampa Bay Lightning, or the Boston Bruins.