Not Time to Panic...

The evolution of the New Jersey Devils’ very young season has been… interesting… to say the very least.

·      Game 1: Held without a goal against clichéd Metropolitan Division favorite, Pittsburgh.

·      Game 2: Home opener. Damien Brunner scores his first two goals of the season. Devils surrender two leads and have to score their own equalizer to force overtime. Lose in the shootout to the Islanders

·      Game 3: Sprint out to a 3-0 lead on the Oilers heading into the 3rd period. Give up 4 straight, come back, force overtime, fall in the shootout again.

·      Game 4: Score first two goals of the game, hand lead back to Vancouver by the end of the 2nd period, fall in overtime in Corey Schneider’s return north of the border.

Needless to say, Devils’ Army is already growing restless.

A year after missing the playoffs and a summer after losing both Ilya Kovalchuk and David Clarkson, the Devils’ and their fans still held high expectations.

Sure, the names of Clowe, Ryder and Brunner don’t strike fear in the mind of defenders quite as well as Kovalchuk, but they play the game differently than the retired-from-the-NHL-so-he-can-run-back-to-Russia winger.

Early on, it has been Brunner leading the way with three goals, and Ryder, Elias and Jagr with a pair each. That’s it. Nothing from Travis Zajac, nothing from the 2012 playoff hero Adam Henrique, nothing from even the CBGB line.

The Devils need to not only find a win over the course of their remaining three road games, but they need to find scoring outside of the aforementioned four players.

Sure, the “big money” players are the ones traditionally called upon to contribute the most fire power, but both Zajac and to a more recent extent, Henrique,  are coming off new deals which rewarded their previous performances, and need to start contributing on a consistent basis, otherwise the Devils are in trouble already.

While the offense is struggling early on, the defensive pairings are leaving much to be desired. 13 goals against over the course of 4 games will not erase the sickening feeling of missing the post season 2 of the past 3 years. So far, with very few exceptions, the Devils’ defenders are looking old, slow and confused, a far cry from the way their new defensive coach, Scott Stevens, played the game, even before his retirement.

After a shaky Devils’ regular season debut against the Penguins, Schneider gave his team nearly every chance he could to help them beat Vancouver, but they could only muster the two goals and not effectively clear his sight lines for the overtime winner.

His counterpart, none other than future Hall of Famer Martin Brodeur, has looked extremely rough during his two outings thus far, giving up 7 goals and losing both in the shootout. Yes, he cannot score for his teammates, who apparently have forgotten what the back of the net is during the shootouts, going 0-for-8, but he also allowed goals on 2 of 3 attempts against Edmonton.

The Devils had a very good preseason for a team who had yet another summer of unexpected drama, but they haven’t been able to capture that success and translate that into the regular season so far.

If they don’t solve their issues now, it could be a very long winter in Newark

Lou’s Last Stand or Just Another Rebirth?

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Unrestricted free agency is an inevitable aspect of hockey.

While the age and terms required to reach that point in a player’s career may change, it is still as certain as death and taxes. General Managers are then labored with the duty to evaluate and negotiate new deals for their teams, which without having psychic abilities or infallible predictability, is one undoubtedly one of the most challenging aspects of their jobs.

New Jersey Devils’ GM Lou Lamoriello is no stranger to the UFA game. Being the GM of the Devils also brings with it the media circus that immediately pin any player who has one year left on their deal going anywhere but New Jersey. Recently, it has been a string of bad luck which has haunted Lamoriello in the offseason, but could that trend be ending this year?

Three years ago, Lamoriello traded for Ilya Kovalchuk a week before the trading deadline. This was extremely out of character for the now 70 year-old former Athletic Director of Providence University,  because he rarely traded for a superstar of Kovalchuk’s ability. Add to it the fact Kovalchuk was a UFA and you could clearly tell there were ulterior motives/ers behind the move.

That summer, the circus of signing Kovalchuk to a new contract was one of the largest blemishes on Lamoriello’s otherwise stellar career. The only other gaffe that could come as close to tarnishing his reputation was the summer coming out of the 04-05 lockout in which the Devils saw future Hall of Fame defender Scott Neidermayer change allegiances to the Anehiem Ducks and he was replaced with Dan McGillis and Vladimir Malakahov. Malakahov was later traded to make cap space thanks in large part to his oversized contract and the Devils lost a first round draft pick in order for the Sharks to take the player.

The Kovalchuk disaster also cost the Devils a first round pick, to be surrendered at next June’s draft. The Devils were fined $3 million on top of being humiliated by the selective enforcement of the NHL higher ups regarding their alleged salary cap circumvention which had been done by a handful of other teams as recently as the pervious summer.

During the very next summer, the Devils were again faced with a massive free agency dilemma: Zach Parise.

Sticking to his past practices and own principles, Lamoriello did not negotiate with Parise on a new deal during the season. The winger was coming off major knee surgery which kept him out nearly the entire 2010-2011 campaign so it is understandable why Lamoriello had some reservations about how large of a deal he wanted to offer the Minnesota native.

Feeding the New Jersey fans and media false hope of “I love it in here” and “I want to be here,” Parise dragged his charade out until July 4th where it came to light he not only had an never-before-heard close friendship with former Nashville Predator Ryan Suter, but was having conversations with him regarding free agency during the season and playoffs. The same playoffs where Parise was supposed to be captaining his team to the Stanley Cup Finals, not vanishing midway during the Eastern Conference Finals and barely showing up during the Finals.

With Parise gone, the Devils struggled to fill his void in an already meager free agency pool. While they found a keeper in Andrei Loktionov, acquiring Bobby Butler and Steve Sullivan while re-acquiring Alexi Ponikarovsky did not pan out as well as they had hoped. In the end of yet another strike shortened season, the Devils missed the playoffs for the second time in three years.

This summer was going to be different: Same core returning with only a few question marks hovering over a few players’ heads contracts wise, but the Devils were in prime position to exploit the free agent pool.

At the NHL Entry Draft, Lamoriello even traded away his coveted 9^th overall first round draft pick in order to acquire a reliable goaltender who, if re-signed following 2014-15, is the heir to the Brodeur throne. Tall order, yes, but Schneider has proven in Vancouver he is more than capable of handling not only the full-time goaltending duties, but stealing games here and there for his team.

On July 5^th, they landed their first two prizes: Ryan Clowe and Michael Ryder. Clowe gives the Devils what they lost in David Clarkson: grit, toughness and an ability to contribute offensively. Sure, Clowe hasn’t amassed the goals which Clarkson has over the past two years, and his performance in New York this past post-deadline was abysmal at best, but he’s on a less-media frenzied team and will have a handful more opportunities to contribute. Ryder, meanwhile, brings the Devils another power play specialist. At the time it was believed he could alleviate some of the focus off of Kovalchuk and thus create more success. Key phrase: at the time.

Just over a week after Lamoriello made his free agent frenzy moves, the hockey world was hammered with a shocking announcement: Ilya Kovalchuk was walking away form his $100 million dollar contract, “hanging up his skates” and returning to Russia.

Lamoriello was his typical diplomatic self when handling the post-retirement conferences. Choosing his words extremely carefully, you could hardly tell Lamoriello was disappointed in the decision but you knew it. The player he had worked so hard to appease the higher-ups in not only acquiring but retaining, had just up and abandoned his team.

The move stung worse than the Parise decision, where he at least left to stay in the NHL for larger dollar signs. Kovalchuk generated a massive crater in the Devils’ already problematic offense.

In traditional Lamoriello fashion, however, he began to scour the market for low-budget but high potential players.

Immediately, the Devils were linked to first year player but UFA because of his age Damien Brunner, formerly of the Red Wings. While the news and public conversation between the two sides were few and far between, it made the rumors more and more believable due to Lamoriello’s strict no public negotiations policy. The Brunner situation stalled publicly, Lou was quietly securing another asset.

Ever since he hit his free agency following his tenure with the Penguins, every Devils’ fan had dreamt of the prospect of Jaromir Jagr coming to New Jersey to play alongside his friend and countryman Patrik Elias. While time and age have cooled those emotions, it was hard not to crack a smile when Lamoriello landed the Czech winger.

While Jagr’s post season in Boston left much to be desired, the future Hall of Famer still has plenty to offer a team who was just slapped in the face by Kovalchuk.

Entering camp, the Devils finally went public by extending their formal invitation to Brunner two games into the preseason. He made an immediate impact on the team, gelling well with anyone he was on a line with. Before the team’s final game against the Flyers, the two sides reached a 2-year, $5 million contract.

Entering the team’s opening night contest against the Penguins, the Devils will have at least 4 new forwards in the lineup [Brunner, Clowe, Jagr and Ryder], and potentially a 5th in Ratislav Olez.

Not bad potential for a team who is projected to finish towards, if not at, the bottom of the Eastern Conference.

Could this season potentially be the last one for Lou Lamoriello as it potentially is for his career defining find in Martin Brodeur? Only time will tell.

If it is, however, the moves made this offseason have assembled a strong team which will surprise many across the hockey community. While there are no guarantees in professional sports, there are also no written laws which state teams must play down to the level which they are predicted to by so-called experts.

Lamoriello has built a team to win-now and while offensive prospects have not panned out as well as they had in the past, the Devils are also in a position organizationally to have a steady diet of defenders reach the NHL over the next few years as well as having solid goaltending security for the foreseeable future.

Offseason Outlook: Goaltending

The only aspect of the Devils, other than the coaching staff, which will undergo little to no change this summer is goaltending. 

With future Hall of Famer Martin Brodeur set to return for his 20th season and backup Johan Hedberg more than likely also returning to finish out the final year of his 2 year contact, odds are here will not be any changes at he NHL level this year. 

With Broduer turning 41 and Hedberg turning 40 literally a day apart, the pressure is now on for the rest of the goaltending prospects in the Devils' organization. 

Brodeur will probably be back for at least another season beyond his current contract, especially if he does not hit he 700 win plateau next season. Knowing his work ethic and team first mentality, he will probably also stick around to either help the heir to his crease transition into the NHL or to ease the burden in the first season or two for whatever goaltender might be while also mentoring him. 

Hedberg on the other hand had a very down year when compared to his previous two seasons. Marred by inconsistency and the complete lack of anything resembling goal support only further magnified Hedberg's average play. The Devils skidded while not helping out their goaltenders, leading to missing the playoffs this season. 

The Devils enter the summer with only one real goaltending question to answer: Is Jeff Frazee worth a contact extension or not? Drafted in the 2nd round of the 2005 draft, Frazee was projected by many as next starter when Brodeur decided to hang up the pads. 

In the 8 years since, however, he has done little to garner such accolades as he has performed less than admirably. Frazee has not done anything to separate himself from the other goaltending prospects in the organization. If anything, he has only set himself back as Keith Kinkaid and Scott Wedgewood have already seemed to have thrusted themselves into the future #1 debate while Frazee remains either a marginal consideration or an afterthought. 

At 26, it is unlikely Frazee will develop any further and could have possibly peaked in his professional career with the Devils. An educated guess would have Frazee departing the organization after July 1st for somewhere with a thinner road to the NHL, especially as he saw his playing time diminish significantly in favor of Kinkaid. Where that may be is a massive question, maybe Philadelphia as neither Ilya Bryzgalov nor Steve Mason have shown any semblance of consistency in recent years. 

Keith Kinkaid is the most NHL ready goaltending prospect in the Devils' organization. Making his first appearance this year in relief of Hedberg at home against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Kinkaid looked as solid as a regular starter. Surrendering only one fluke goal against which was deflected off his own defenders into his net, Kinkaid was sharp on the numerous Lightning chances, including a breakaway save on perennial scoring threat, Steven Stamkos. Kikaid did not fall for his deke and made the save from his stomach with his leg pinned against the post. 

It is most likely going to be Kinkaid starting for the Albany Devils next year with Scott Wedgewood being his "back up." Back up being in quotations as the Devils could realistically use both goaltenders in a similar fashion as eye St. Louis Blues do with Jaroslav Halak and Brian Elliott. 

Wedgewood has the most upside out of any goaltending prospect, earning several accolades during his time in juniors including earning the starting role for Team Canada at the World Junior Championships. While he may not be ready for NHL duty, Wedgewood could benefit from spending more time in Albany against stronger competition. During his 5 appearances this season with the A-Devils, Wedgewood posed a 2-2 record with a 3.47 goals against average. His save percentage was also low (.886), the lowest by far out of any goalie who was in net for Albany. 

In a perfect world, as previously stated, Wedgewood would start the season in Albany and split time with Kinkaid. However, it may be better for his development if he finds his rhythm in the ECHL before promoting back up to Albany.

Devils Cap Off Perfect Week with OT Win

The long layoff for the NHL ended last Saturday night as 24 teams kicked off their respective seasons.

New Jersey, fresh off their run to the Stanley Cup Finals, began their quest to repeat their Eastern Conference Championship run by squaring off against Atlantic Divisional rival, New York Islanders.

Travis Zajac got the scoring going after burying a beautiful crossing feed from Ilya Kovalchuk and David Clarkson sucked the life out of the crowd at Nassau Coliseum with his goal moments after Travis Hamonic leveled the two teams at 1 with just over 10 minutes remaining in the 3^rd period. Martin Brodeur stopped 18 of 19 shots for his first win of the season.

Three days later, the Devils Squared off against the Philadelphia Flyers who were playing their third game in four days. Having lost to Pittsburgh at home and then falling to Buffalo on the road, the Flyers were desperate for a victory. Unfortunately for them, they got off on the absolute wrong foot as Travis Zajac again ignited the scoring, netting his second of the season just 67 seconds into the game. Clarkson, too, would get his second of the year on the power play with 25 seconds remaining in the opening stanza.

Kovalchuk would add a short handed, penalty shot goal in the third as the Devils continued their domination of Flyers’ goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov dating back to last season’s Eastern Conference Semifinals matchup where the Devils made the Russian keeper look amateurish.

Brodeur stopped all 24 Flyers shots he faced for his second win and 120^th shutout of his career, 10 of which coming against the Flyers.

The shutout streak would continue into Friday night where the Devils would play host to the Washington Capitals. Stephen Gionta would finish a Jacob Josefson attempt to net his first of the season and only his second career regular season goal. Patrik Elias would register his 897^th point of his career when he pushed home a rebound off a Marek Zidlicky shot and a Clarkson deflection on the power play late in the 2^nd period.

The Devils’ discipline came apart nearly entirely during the third period as they took 5 consecutive penalties including three within seconds of each other. Washington seized the opportunity by scoring once on the power play [Mike Ribeiro] and then again as their final advantage expired [Mike Green].

Their gifts from the Devils would cease there as New Jersey came out a different team in the overtime period, bombarding Michal Neuvirth with 7 shots before Kovalchuk wristed a tight angle attempt top shelf to win the game for the Devils with just 20 seconds remaining in the extra frame.

Their 3-0 start is the best the Devils have had since the 2002-2003 season in which they went on to win the Stanley Cup in 6 games against the Dallas Stars.

Devils Struggle in Season Debut vs Flyers

Philadelphia Flyers forward Wayne Simmonds Scores his 3rd period goal against the New Jersey Devils [Yahoo Sports/AP Photos]

The past summer, there was hope in Newark. Fans were ready for the season to start as soon as the NHL Entry draft was over. There was immediate hope in the form of 18-year-old Swedish defenseman Adam Larsson.

Of course, the season couldn’t have started then, especially before free-agency began. Weeks later, the Devils roster had undergone some minimal changes, but most importantly, they retained left winger, and “face of the franchise” Zach Parise. Parise and the Devils avoided arbitration in early August by signing a 1-year, $6.5 million contract. An injury to Travis Zajac opened the door for the return Petr Sykora and for Adam Henrique to crack the Opening Night roster. After an outstanding camp, Larsson played himself into the line-up becoming the youngest Devil to dress on Opening Night since the aforementioned Sykora nearly 15 years ago.

The 2011-2012 season was supposed to start off with a bang.

After touching tribute for the NHL players, both current and former, who were tragically lost this past summer, and thunderous ovation for an Army Staff Sergeant repelling to the ice from the rafters above center ice prior to the ovation, the Devils fans reached a fever pitch.

The two teams met each other with equal force, trading opportunities early. Even when the Devils took the season’s first penalty, the fans willed them through the kill with chants and applause.

The turning point, however, seemed to come when following the Devils first power play of the season. After generating numerous chances, the Flyers killed off the penalty and turned up the pressure on the Devils’ defense to the extent of forcing the Devils to taking a bad icing penalty just past the midway point of the period. With very tired legs, the Devils were on their heels following the icing and Philadelphia was opportunistic.

Claude Giroux scored off a one-timer feed from James Van Riemsdyk after the Flyers made the Devils scramble during a well played cycle.

The play was pretty even during the second period as the teams battled one another and traded opportunities. The Devils power-play, however, was disastrous at best, during the period failing to convert and only registering a single shot over 2 power plays.

The wheels came off the Devils, however, during the third period.

An Ilya Kovalchuk turnover early in the final frame led to a 3-on-2 which Matt Read finished off for his first career NHL goal. Brodeur nearly made the save, however, he was unable to squeeze his arm enough as the puck squirted through and tumbled over the goal line.

Just two minutes later, Wayne Simmonds, one of the pieces of the Mike Richards trade with Los Angeles, buried an Andrej Mezaros rebound which Brodeur could not corral and neither defenders, Bryce Salvador or Anton Volchenkov, could clear the rebound nor put a body on Simmonds.

The beaten down Devils then allowed their discipline to leave the building before the mass exodus of fans began. David Clarkson took an unsportsmanlike conduct, then immediately began chirping at nearly all of the Flyers on the ice for his next shift. After not finding a sparring partner, he squared off Simmonds and proceeded to receive all of the pent-up anger Simmonds had from his bitter, and unwanted divorce from the Kings in the form of fists to the face.

Clarkson was then shown the door for his antics and given an early shower and an instigator.

The instigator was served by Eric Boulton who then gave himself the remainder of the game off by tripping Pronger immediately following his release from Clarkson’s penalty and was also assessed a misconduct.

The Devils were given one last chance to jump back into the game when Danny Briere took a tripping penalty in the defensive zone. Kovalchuk, however, could register the closest chance of a goal by firing a one-timer just wide left of the goal with Flyers goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov sliding right, cross crease.

Both teams failed to convert on their power play opportunities, eight for the Flyers, five for the Devils but the Devils suffered the most from their man-advantage futility.

Devils [0-1-0] remain home for their next game, Monday vs. Carolina at 1 pm, while the Flyers [2-0-0] head to Philadelphia for their Home Opener on Wednesday against the Vancouver Canucks.

NOTES: Adam Larsson played extremely well for an 18-year-old rookie. He made a few mistakes, but was more impressive than some of his veteran teammates. He was not afraid to shoot on the power play [which many on the team seemed to be] and was also very aware of his teammates when generating plays…Zach Parise played with a lot of heart but didn’t produce in his debut as Devils’ captain. But, many fans are willing to give him at least one more shot before they cast him down the path of ex-captain Jamie Langenbrunner. [Oh come on, that was a little funny]…Danius Zubrus played for only the second time after missing all but 1 of the preseason games with a lower-body injury. Zubrus, who got married over the summer, looked a little out of sorts out there. No word yet if he’s falling victim of the married-and-then-suck curse or if he sustained the lower-body injury on his honeymoon…Jaromir Jagr failed to register a point during his second game in the NHL in over 3 years. He could still be feeling the lingering effects of his bitter divorce from his mullet...The Flyers earned their first shutout of the year after not having a single one last season.

Devils Miss Big Chance

Two critical points were left on the table by the Devils tonight.

Sure, Ottawa had two fortunate bounces go their way in the form of both Condra goals, but the Devils did not do themselves any favors tonight.

During the firs period, they had numerous chances to fire home rebounds and loose pucks, Craig Anderson was equal to the task.

The second period returned to its old form as the bane of the Devils' game tonight.

The first of the Senators two fortunate bounces came early in the period and because of it, the Devils would have to play catchup. Erik Condra deposited his own rebound while jumping over Brodeur's left pad following an impressive pass from Jason Spezza.

The Devils would have chances of their own on two 5 on 3 power plays in which they failed to mount any significant scoring threat. The Devils focused so heavily on getting Ilya Kovalchuk the puck, they seemed to forget that if they spread the Senators defenders or, more space and lanes would open up.

Their best chance to score came on a disallowed goal off the stick of Patrik Elias who slapped home a rebound off an alleged high stick by Jacob Josefson who not only didn't hit the puck with his stick above the crossbar, he didn't hit the puck at all.

The Senators would exit the second period with the lead but the Devils and their fans still had that feeling they could make the comeback.

Patrik Elias would make everyone believe again when he avenged his earlier disallowed goal. Elias quietly broke in behind the Senators' defenders as Brian Rolston controlled the puck in the low right corner before he fed Elias for the back door goal.

With the two teams level again, the crowd did their best to fuel the Devils' push for the lead. The team responded by generating chances of their own but, again nothing came to fruition.

What seemed like the Devils' chance and game for be taking, quickly turned for the worst as Spezza struck again by setting up another goal just under 3 minutes to play in regulation. He possessed the puck in the high left point waiting for reinforcements and it was Condra who snuck behind Nick Palmieri and managed to tip the feed between Brodeur's right pad and the right post.

The Devils quickly threw their game into desperation mode but could not generate an organized attack to try and mount another comeback.

The only consolation for the Devils in their quest on this improbable playoff run is that the Buffalo Sabres failed to put further distance between them and the rest of the East with a 3-1 loss in Pittsburgh to the Penguins.

The Devils return to action Friday against the Atlanta Thrashers, and hopefully return to their winning ways. The game Friday could have positioning implications as the two teams are separated by only a point.

Devils Maintain Hot Streak

To say this run is impressive is a tremendous understatement to what the New Jersey Devils on the verge of accomplishing.

Should they win their matchup tomorrow night against the Ottawa Senators it will mark the first time since the start of the season that the Devils were a .500 team.

On January 8th, the Devils had lost the 31st game to the Philadelphia Flyers to put themselves 21 games below .500.

After yesterday's thrilling victory against the Islanders, the Devils have made up an astounding 20 games and turned one of the most disappointing seasons in franchise history, into one of the most improbable, and straight up amazing runs in NHL history.

Brian Rolston opened up the scoring with a power play goal in the second period. His 12th of the year was set up from Ilya Kovalchuk and Travis Zajac.

Josh Bailey equalized the two teams with a power play marker of his own. The goal came after the puck pin-balled around the crease and Brodeur was out of position as he prepared for the follow-up from PA Parenteau. Parenteau flubbed the shot but it found Bailey's stick for the goal.

Kovalchuk would continue his second half resurgence with a goal on a 2 on 1 set up by a drop pass from Jacob Josefson. Kovalchuk ripped the shot glove side past Al Montoya for his 24th of the year. With his assist, Josefson registered his first career point. Anton Volchenkov was also given an assist on the goal for his 7th.

He resurgent Islanders refused to quit, however and with over 3 minutes to play Blake Comeau scored his 18th the year.

With the Islanders forcing overtime, both teams earned a point, but the Devils again needed the winner's point to help close the gap, albeit temporarily, between them and Carolina.

It would take a shootout to determine a winner after an uneventful overtime session. Frans Nielsen opened the shootout with a goal, beating Brodeur glove side. Three shooters later, Kovalchuk would save the Devils again with the equalizer.

Eight tries later, Jacques Lemaire made a curious decision by electing to send Rolston out to try and win it. Rolston came in deked Montoya to a sprawling save attempt, Rolston countered by lifting the puck over Montoya’s pads for the winner.

After play on Sunday, the Devils pulled to within 8 points of the 8th seed in the Eastern Conference. The team they’re chasing now, however, has changed to the Buffalo Sabres who reached the top 8 for the first time since October 9th [the 2nd game of the season].

The Hurricanes and Rangers are both off until Wednesday, but both Buffalo and the Devils.

The Devils will host Ottawa on Tuesday for not only a chance at reaching .500 but also to pull within 5 of the idle Hurricanes and 8 of the Rangers. Pending the outcome of Buffalo’s game in Pittsburgh, the Devils could be as close as 6 points of 8th by the end of play Tuesday night or simply keep pace with the Sabres should both teams win.

Kovalchuk Keeps Devils Believing

It was one of those nights, you could just feel it. Even if you were watching on TV, you knew something big was going go happen.

Sustained pressure and continuous chances were the MO for the Devils during the third period of last night's matchup versus the Penguins. Chance after chance, the Devils tried to break through goaltender Brent Johnson, and often they would maintain possession after the initial shots or rebounds. Even when entering the attacking zone, the Devils did so much more aggressively and confidently than their previous matchups versus the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Penguin counter attacks brought tension to fans, but not to the players. Chances which would have surely resulted in goals for the Penguins in games prior to the turn of the New Year were blocked, controlled or deflected harmlessly away from Martin Brodeur and the Devils’ net.

Whether it was Brian Rolston’s shot blistering off the cross-bar, or Patrik Elias’ one-timer that was unleashed just a fraction of an inch off target while Johnson was completely out of position, the Devils chances continued to mount. Although they did not capitalize during regulation, the team nor fans seemed to panic heading to overtime against a team much higher than them in the standings.

The Devils would be given their first power play of the game just under halfway through the extra frame, when Travis Zajac carried the puck into the Pittsburgh zone, batting off two defenders and drawing a hook from Zbynek Michalek.

The power play was patient, much to the chagrin of the fans in attendance who craved a win and the two critical points to pull back within 9 of the playoff positions. Using the extra space to create gaps, Kovalchuk possessed the puck frequently to quarterback the play from his typical spot on the right wing face-off circle.

A feed to Rolston lead to a shot on goal on the right side of the net. The rebound kicked to Elias who tried to put his follow up shot between Johnson’s pads as he slid across, and out, of the crease. Johnson got it with his left pad, but was well out of position and could not control the rebound as it again found Elias’ stick. He ducked the puck behind the net, wrapped around and fed Kovalchuk who ripped the shot into the almost completely vacant net for the winner.

The crowd and team erupted in jubilation as they met Kovalchuk at the blue line of the Devils’ zone to celebrate the big win.

The overtime winner was Kovalchuk’s 22nd goal of the year, his 9th game winning goal of the season, and the 13th overtime winner of his career. To further sweeten the pot, Kovalchuk now has 6 game winning goals in the last 12 games.

It is no secret from that every game is huge from here on out, but the Devils have a chance to put further distance between them and the teams below them with a win Sunday afternoon on Long Island versus the Islanders.

Devils Take Two from Tampa

(Photo by Andy Marlin/NHLI via Getty Images)
Going into tonight’s match-up with the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Devils knew anything less then getting the full two points would be a major blow to their playoff hopes.

With Carolina winning their game over Pittsburgh last night, the Devils fell back behind by 11 points from playoff contention. Even with two games in hand, failing on chances to gain ground on idle opponents would be devastating.

During the first period, you could tell the Devils were playing a little tighter than they usually would be on home ice. Their defense was very solid and prevented any significantly threatening scoring chances from the opposition, but their offense was just as hesitant to try and take the zone as they were during their Friday night loss in Tampa.

The second period saw a bad bounce which earlier in the season would have crippled this team. Pavel Kubina took a shot from a top the left circle which deflected off of the skate of Dominic Moore and into the back of the Devils’ net. The power play goal gave the Lightning a much needed go-ahead goal, but the game was far from over at this point.

Just before the end of the period, Ilya Kovalchuk danced with the puck deep in the Tampa zone and let go of a shot which created a scramble in front. As players battled for the loose puck, it kicked out to the right point to Henrik Tallinder, who faked two shots and fired a wrister through the chaos in front. The shot deflected off of the stick of Martin St. Louis and found it’s way behind Dwayne Roloson for the equalizer.

The teams played a much faster paced 3rd period, exchanging chance for chance for most of the first 10 minutes. Just past the midway mark, Travis Zajac’s shot on goal kicked into the corner off Roloson’s pad and was controlled by Matt Smaby. Smaby then tried to force a pass between Zajac and the boards, but was picked off by Zajac who quickly fed a streaking Kovalchuk with a crisp tape-to-tape pass. The pass handcuffed Kovalchuk a little, but he still was able to blast a one-timer past Rolson while falling for the Devils’ first lead of the night, and his 22nd of the season.

The Devils would not sit back and defend the lead as they produced numerous chances, including a beautiful wide open, one-timer look from Patrik Elias late in the period that Roloson was able to get just enough of to prevent a back-breaking goal.

Tampa’s best chance to equalize came during the final 5 seconds as St. Louis broke out with Steven Stamkos through the neutral zone, but Stamkos had gone offsides before St. Louis could make it to the blue line and fire a last-ditch effort on net.

With the win, the Devils again pulled to within 9 points of the Hurricanes. Carolina travels to Buffalo tomorrow night for a critical match-up with the Sabres, who if they win in overtime, will take over the 8th position in the Eastern Conference based upon wins.

Devils fans, at least for one night, should be pulling very hard for the Sabres to win in regulation. If the Sabres can grant the Devils’ fans wish, the gap will remain at 9 points.

NOTES: David Steckel, who played his first game with the Devils since being acquired from the Washington Capitals for Jason Arnott, had a solid game defensively. He lost his first five face offs, and ended the night just 4 for 12, far below his seasonal average of roughly 60%...Zach Parise, who has been recovering from a partially torn meniscus since October, was given the okay from doctors today to resume skating on his own. General Manager Lou Lamoriello said he’s at least 2-3 weeks away from skating hard and the team would then take it from there…Dainius Zubrus shook off a hit from behind from Simon Gagne just before the Kovalchuk goal. Gagne was not penalized on the play…Martin Brodeur made a great left arm save on Nate Thompson on a breakaway during the first period.

Keeping Hope Alive

Photos are property of Eliot J. Schechter/NHLI via Getty Images

After two nights ago, panic could have set in.

Two nights ago, the Devils could have said, “that’s it, we’re mortal again,” and packed in their season knowing they had let an opportunity to keep pace slip away, falling further behind the pack.

Two nights ago has now turned into nothing more than a minor speed bump, at least for tonight.

The Devils opened up tonight’s game as tense as they left Friday night’s contest against the Lightning. The Panthers controlled the flow of play for the first half of the first period as they mounted chance after chance on the Devils. Martin Brodeur, however, was equal to the task, showing little to no signs of a 9 game layoff while he recovered from a knee injury.

The tables turned as the Devils controlled the flow of play during the latter stages of the period and were able to nearly equalize the shot chances, trailing by 1 in that category heading into intermission.

The second period would prove to be the decisive one as the Devils came out red hot. Their determination was fueled by the efforts of their grinders who broke the scoreless draw. Rod Pelley’s shot from the left point was kicked out to the same-side faceoff circle, where David Clarkson made a diving rebound attempt that beat goaltender Tomas Vokun short side for his first goal in 18 games.

Just 3 minutes later, after the Devils were given a power play by the Panthers, Brian Rolston fired a faceoff win from Dainius Zubrus into the back of the net for 2-0 lead. The goal came just 3 seconds into the power play.

While the Devils again shut down their opponents during the 2nd period, the third period was not without drama. Both teams split chances equally until about 5 minutes remaining when Florida began to control the pace as the Devils went into a prevent mode.

Their defense and Brodeur’s shutout were finally broken when Marty Reasoner ripped home a behind the net feed from Michal Repik short side on Brodeur to pull them within 1. After a few icing calls and 3-plus tense minutes later, the Devils escaped South Florida, and their 4 game road-trip with a 2-1 victory, going 3-1 overall.

With the win, Brodeur moved to 9-1-1 over his last 11 starts, Ilya Kovalchuk had his 12-game point streak snapped, and Jason Arnott could have played the final game of his 2nd stint with the Devils.

Following the game, Arnott told Tom Gulitti of the Fire & Ice Blog that he’d prefer to be moved to a team already in the playoff hunt, and that if he had the choice between another team fighting for their post season lives or staying with the Devils, he’d prefer to stay.

If the Devils are to move Arnott, and recent trades around the league are any indication, they should receive a 2nd round pick and then some in return. One of the drawbacks for Arnott, however, is his age, but his leadership and experience alone should outweigh that minor fact. He does become an Unrestricted Free Agent at the end of the year so a team gearing up for a long playoff run could almost certainly benefit from a player like Arnott.

As for the rest of the team, a few weeks ago, I could have seen them making a move to improve the defensive corps. Following their recent hot streak, however, I do not foresee general manager Lou Lamoriello making any moves as he could see any changes drastically affecting the chemistry and current team spirit.

With only 9 points separating the Devils from the 8th and final playoff spot, the Devils need any and all help they can get, but one area which they do not need any real help is their own roster. What was once looked upon as a flimsy, suspect AHL defense has now become one of the premiere shut-down units in the league, allowing 2 goals or fewer over the course of the past 10 games, and only once since early January.

Hope comes in all forms lately. A win in regulation, a win in overtime, heck even a loss in overtime provides a glimmer of hope if all other games fall the Devils’ way.

But with 20 games to go, there is little to no room for any more moral victories and the Devils need to find ways to earn or steal points here on out.

Wednesday brings the Lightning back into the Prudential Center where another two critical points are on the line.

Who will be still on the roster and who, if anyone, will find a new home tomorrow by the 3 pm trading deadline? Only a few short hours separate us from finding out.

Devils Seek to Rebound

Two days after failing to keep pace with the teams above them, the New Jersey Devils seek to get back to their winning ways when they visit the Florida Panthers.

On Friday night, the Devils were beat at their own game, seeing their 8 game winning streak snapped by the Tampa Bay Lightning. With the loss, the Devils failed to earn two critical points which would allow them to keep their bleak playoff hopes alive.

Before the end of the game, further up the East Coast, the Carolina Hurricanes polished off a 4-1 victory over the Pittsburg Penguins and the New York Rangers embarrassed the Washington Capitals 6-0 in DC.

That left those scoreboard watching with a complete feeling of hopelessness as they knew how pivotal the 2 possible points were in this game. By the start of the 3rd period, the Devils were in a 2-0 hole, and the fans knew the results of the other games, but feared a possible devastating point-less effort.

When Mark Fayne’s 4th goal of the season had somehow found the back of the net, fans began to hope that if they couldn’t get the two, maybe they would be able to steal A point from the Lightning on home ice.

Unfortunately, recent history was not on their side. Prior to this matchup, the Devils had won 12 of their past 13 games against the Lightning, with the only loss came on the memorable 3-1 defeat last season which had to be played over the course of two nights as the Prudential Center had lost power during the second period of that matchup.

Tonight, as Devils fans head to bed, they can rest and breath a little easier as fate dealt them a favorable hand in their quest for the playoffs.

The Hurricanes could not ride the wave of success they had against Pittsburg the night before into Montreal. While their offense had the right paperwork to get across the border, apparently the defense did not as they surrendered two first period goals en route to a 4-3 loss to the Canadiens.

In Buffalo, the Sabres hosted the Red Wings and while the Sabres did secure a loser point, they failed to gain the extra point of ground on the 8th seeded Hurricanes, losing 3-2 in the shootout to Detroit.

Toronto also failed to gain the extra point on Carolina as they too fell in the shootout to Pittsburgh, 6-5. The Penguin offense rebounded in staggering fashion, but their defense also failed to make it into Canada.

Should the Devils pull out a victory tomorrow versus the Panthers, they’ll be 1 point back of Florida, 4 back of the Maple Leafs, 5 behind the struggling Thrashers, 7 behind the Sabres and returning to 9 points back of the Hurricanes. All of those scenarios, of course, are dependant upon all games falling in the Devils’ favor, including the Thrashers knocking off the Maple Leafs in regulation.

Sunday will also mark the first game back from Martin Brodeur after sitting the past 8 games with a knee injury suffered in the Devils’ Super Bowl Sunday victory in Montreal.

Ilya Kovalchuk also seeks to extend his career high 12 game point streak. Over the course of the 12 games, Kovalchuk has 7 goals and 7 assists.

Lastly, Sunday could, and quite possibly, will be the end of Jason Arnott’s second stint with the Devils. With the Trade Deadline looming Monday afternoon at 3, and his desire to be part of a team in the playoffs for a chance at a Stanley Cup, it is safe to assume Arnott will not only waive his No Trade Clause, but also request to be traded. Lou Lamoriello has not commented on the situation but it is safe to assume, he would try to accommodate the aging center.

Game time for Sunday’s tilt is at 5 pm.

Kovalclutch

For their first win, the Devils knocked off Buffalo in overtime. The game winning goal came off a one timer from the stick of Ilya Kovalchuk.

A month later, the Devils again emerged victorious from another overtime victory, and again, the winner came off the stick of Kovalchuk.

Two nights ago, Dainius Zubrus netted the equalizing goal against the Toronto Maple Leafs early in the 3rd period. The Devils seemed to break free from the funk which had surrounded them for most of the game but couldn’t net the go ahead goal to give them a regulation win.

To overtime they would go, and cue Mr. Kovalchuk. Starting from behind his own net, he carried the puck across center ice, eluding two Maple Leaf defenders, finding himself open on the right wing. Kovalchuk did not hesitate to fire a shot on net that beat goaltender James Reimer stick side for yet another winner.

Finally, last night, after a Travis Zajac faceoff win in the San Jose zone, Kovalchuk picked up the loose puck and ripped a shot to the stick side of Anti Niemi for his 19th goal of the season and second winner in as many nights. Granted this winner was not in overtime, it was yet another winner for the Devils and another game winning goal for the $100 million man.

The team is completely on fire right now, having won 12 out of their previous 15 games. In the games which they have not won, they have earned points in two of three. 26 points out of a possible 30 have brought the Devils from lottery pick favorites, to dark horses with an outside chance of making the playoffs.

It is no secret the team’s mentality has changed to focus on one game at a time. They have to, it’s to save their sanity, and remove doubt. They’re openly saying they’re leaving the scoreboard watching to the reporters and the fans. It’s a perfect mentality for a team that at one point this year looked dead to rights.

Entering the action tonight, the Devils sit a mere 12 points back of the 8th place Atlanta Thrashers, 14 back of the 7th place [and rival] New York Rangers. 6 critical points sit for the taking next week as the Devils will face 9th place Carolina twice and the Rangers once.

It will undoubtedly be a tall order for the team, especially without Martin Brodeur and defencemen Anton Volchenkov for at least the Wednesday game at home versus Carolina.

However, on the shoulders of Johan Hedberg and of course, the scoring machine Ilya Kovalchuk, victories against even the best teams in the NHL can be earned.

Game 54 - Pregame Write Up

If you’re a Devils fan, you’re trying to look for the positives in anything regarding the team, especially in a point-counterpoint system.

Point: The Devils are on pace for X number of points for the season.
Counterpoint: They’re only 16 back of the 8th and final playoff spot.

Point: Brodeur went down hurt, again, on Sunday
Counterpoint: Hedberg is coming off 2 periods of relief where his only blemish deflected off Kovalchuk.

Etc.

When the Devils take to the ice Tuesday night, it will be in a critical game for their playoff lives.

Yes, it is true that from here on out, every game is considered critical, however, this game and two more within the next 12 days, come against the team holding on [more like clinging] to the coveted 8th spot.

If the Devils win all 3 in regulation, they can trim the gap by 6 points without taking into account any of the games in between. Overtime wins earns them a 3 point advantage on their proverbial rabbits. Anything less will severly hurt their chances. The thought alone of the magnitude of these games could drive any person understandably to near panic.

Luckily for us, the players’ current mindset is one at a time, and they leave the insanity and madness to the fans.

Since the All Star Break, the Devils have amassed a 3-0-1 record, earning 7 out of a possible 8 points with the only loss coming to Florida in overtime last Friday night.

If you’re a fan who enjoys trying to find trends or patterns in a season and believes they’ll be repeated, you’ll be happy to note that the last time the Panthers stopped a potential Devils’ winning streak, they did so in overtime and gave the Devils enough motivation to then turn around and rattle off 4 straight wins.

On Sunday, New Jersey took another step towards repeating the past by jumping out to an early lead against the Montreal Canadiens, and then playing terrific shut-down defense following Brodeur’s injury en route to a 4-1 victory. The Devils were rewarded for their effort by climbing in the standings to 13th place, tied with Ottawa and 7 points behind the Toronto Maple Leafs follow play Monday night.

Carolina enters Tuesday’s contest winning 5 games out of their last 10, including their overtime win against the struggling Atlanta Thrashers which halted a 2 game skid. Eric Cole netted the game winner after Carolina had a horrendous defensive third period in which they squandered two leads.

Recent head to head history gives the edge to Carolina as they have had the better of the two clubs including a memorable come from behind victory in Game 7, in Newark, during the 2009 Eastern Conference Quarter Finals where the Devils blew a late 3rd period lead of their own, and the surrendered the game winner with under 2 minutes to go in regulation.

This Devils team, however, is much different than the one the Hurricanes embarrassed in 2009. First, they have Ilya Kovalchuk who is finally settling in and finding his groove with the team he has been with for just over a year, and will be with for the next 14. Kovalchuk had two goals on Sunday, added an assist on Friday and has been on fire offensively as of late. He also has been contributing regularly on defense, including some aggressive back checking against Florida.

Dainius Zubrus has also been a bright spot for the Devils’ offense as he netted his 10th Sunday afternoon.

The climb is steep, the task feels almost impossible, but the Devils need to remain focused on just one game at a time.

A team that once seemed destined for the first overall pick in the draft has now given itself a new lease on life, and its fans a reason to have some grounded hope that the season can be saved, and the playoffs, just maybe, with some luck and some favorable breaks, could be made.

One way or another, if the Devils team which has emerged recently continues to come out for the remaining 29 games, fans can be guaranteed it will be one hell of a ride to the finish line.

Game 9: Devils vs. Penguins

Just over a week ago, the Devils went into Madison Square Garden to take on the 7-1 Rangers who were riding a 7 game winning streak.

When they left, the only streak that remained intact was their own winning streak away from the friendly confines of the Prudential Center.

Saturday night felt like déjà vu as they took the ice against the Penguins who were also on a bit of a roll, winners of eight straight, while the Devils' own streak was still progressing.

Unlike the game at MSG, though, the Devils left little room for doubt as to who's streak would roll on.

A fluky first period goal by Mark Fraser, the first of his career, set the tone early as the Devils rolled to a 4-1 victory.

Riding the momentum of some stellar saves by Brodeur, the Devils forced the play deep into the Penguins zone. Zubrus drew players to him before passing the puck behind the net to Bergfors, who made a quick feed to Fraser who got off an awkward one timer, the puck hit goalkeeper Marc Andre Fleury’s stick and popped up over his head. Fortunately for the Devils, as he went to catch it, the puck hit the heel of his trapper and went into the net.

Brodeur continued to mystify the Penguins offense in the 2nd with save after save including one from his backside while on the penalty kill.

On the flipside of the ice, Fleury’s luck continued to elude him. While on the power play, the Devils’ second unit broke through and finally got a marker. Bergfors took a quick shot through traffic which Fleury stopped, and he got most of the rebound chance from Rod Pelly but not all of it as the puck sneaked through his legs, towards the far side post. Bergfors, who followed his shot with a wrap around attack, saw the rebound and pushed it with Fleury’s glove into the net for the 2-0 lead.

Brooks Orpik’s aggression cost Pittsburgh a goal as he threw David Clarkson on top of MAF, Zajac had picked up Parise’s rebound and went top shelf over the dog pile in front.

Alex Goligoski, who was beyond sanctified by Pittsburgh’s announcers for one “hustle” play that turned into their highlight of the year, broke Brodeur’s bid for his record tying shutout almost midway through the 3rd.

Parise put the final nail in the coffin with a beautiful stick handling move in front of the net where he found himself wide open and skated around Fleury for the goal.

The road doesn’t get any easier as next up for the Devils are the Buffalo Sabres, and its at the Prudential Center, where the Devils have been surprisingly inconsistent to start the year.



6-3-0, 12 points

Next up: vs. Buffalo, 7 pm

Game 7: First Home Win

Only saw the 3rd again, this time because I went on a haunted Buffalo ghost walk.

1.) Marty looked like vintage marty, from what i saw. Nice to see him get shutout #102

2.) Our 5 on 3 powerplay was horriffic. Rolston is unbelieveably passive on the blue line. the behind the net camera angle showed how many lanes he passed up. Also, are our PP units the only ones who dont like shooting off a one timer?

3.) Andy Greene has continued to prove to the fans that he deserves to be a regular in the line up. My only question is if the fans see the effort from a player who struggled most of last season, how can't the Devils' coaching staff? He's right in front of them day in and day out, there is almost no explination as to why he is being benched in favor of Cory Murphy. I'd also like to take the time to point out that the Devils are 4-0-0 when Greene plays, and 0-3-0 when Murphy plays. Please take that into account, Jacques.


4-3-0, 8 points

Next up: Thursday @ the Rangers, 7:00

Marty’s Return and the First Domino Falls

Tonight the Devils welcome back to arguably the greatest goaltender in modern times, Martin Brodeur, into the line-up. While Scott Clemmensen performed astoundingly well in net for the Devils, nothing beats having a Hall of Fame caliber talent in net to complement a top 10 offense.

Brodeur’s return comes at the most opportune time for New Jersey. The team has only won 1 of their past 3 games, and it was in a shootout versus lowly Tampa Bay. His air of consistency will be a great addition to the team, in essence, an addition without subtraction [with all due respect to Clemmer]. Brodeur is one of the best playoff goaltenders of all time, and in recent times, he has burned out in the postseason. This year, however, that should not be an issue considering he’s been recovering for 50 games.

10:00 PM UPDATE – Marty pitches a shutout. Its like the guy was never hurt. Congrats on #99!

On the trading front, people may say that the first domino fell with Mathieu Schneider being traded to Montreal. Others felt when the Islanders robbed Ottawa of a player and a 1st round pick was the catalyst. Today is the day that will set the tone for the next week.

Chris Kunitz, a fantasy hockey power play dream, has been traded to Pittsburgh for Ryan Whitney. The Pens also received a prospect in the deal.

Kunitz is a great winger with solid potential, and is an invaluable asset on the power play. Whitney really has not been the same player since he came back from his injury in mid December, so hopefully a stint out on the west coast will reset his game.

Hours later, the Canadiens made a minor move trading Steve Begin to Dallas for Doug Janik.

Now, many people flock to hockeybuzz.com to catch “insider” rumors. I’ll save you the time and the obnoxious laughter which would ensue:

Disclaimer: these are rumors from eklund with my comments.

Eric Cole to NJ – Why would the Devils take on a winger worth 4 million when they are stacked at the position? If Gionta is part of the deal then maybe, but both are UFAs. Still, the Devils need a top tier defenseman and Cole doesn’t quite fit that mould. Plus, the move is pretty much is a lateral one. Cole has a better shot, but Gionta is quicker.

Scott Gomez – Phoenix, Edmonton, Florida – wow, where to begin with this one. Let’s start with the Rangers. They are the ONLY team currently holding a playoff position who has more goals allowed than they have scored. Next, Gomez is the offense, heck, he is that team. It sickens me to say that being a Devils fan and all, but the guy IS single handedly keeping the Rangers in it.

Focus now on Phoenix, who would they trade, Jokinen? Jovo? Morris? It just doesn’t make any sense what so ever. Add into it that the team needed to get a loan to pay rent and the lease, why would they take on a salary of ONE player who makes close to $8 million a season.

The Oilers are a possibility if it weren’t for that minor detail called the SALARY CAP. They currently sit roughly $2 million under it, Gomez would put them $6 mil over, who would they get back, Souray? Why not add another overpaid defenseman who doesn’t perform up to his pay? I’m sure Ranger fans would love that. Actually, it does sound like the kinda move that would get Glen Sather excited… it just may happen.

As for Florida, a team struggling to figure out what to do with one All-Star, I don’t see a Bouwmeester-for-Gomez deal although it would work with their cap space. The rangers need help on offense, not defense. There is no spark in that system and they trap way too much. I’m just glad the hypocrisy train has pulled a 180.

Olli Jokinen – Sabres, Hurricanes, Flames – Don’t count on it being the Sabres, regardless of how injured their front lines are, their defense will take them no where. Toni Lydman has more turnovers than Entenmanns Baked Goods, Jaroslav Spacek refuses to shoot on a regular basis, Teppo Numminen is just plain old, yadda yadda yadda. The point is, the defense needs work, and if they want offensive help, there are better players on the market who are FAR more consistent this season than Jokinen. However, the possibility is there that the team and fans have just grown so sick of the Max Afinogenov saga that the rumors could reemerge from the Draft where my sources were confident that Jokinen was heading to the Queen City, before the last minute deal to the desert.

Calgary has already flat out stated they’re comfortable with the team they’ve got. To get Jokinen, it would require more than 1 regular being shipped to Phoenix, why mess with chemistry now?

Carolina is Carolina, very few people will care about rumors about them, heck even fewer cared about their playoff games and run to the cup a few years ago. More focused on that week’s NASCAR race than the parade.

Thomas Kaberle – Sabres – Speaking of Buffalo, while Eklund was sitting at home this afternoon, he set up pictures of all 30 NHL teams on his wall. He took a dart, closed his eyes and said “whatever team this lands on, I’m going to tag as being the destination for Thomas Kaberle.” When he did that, he hit the logo that looked like the banana slug. That story is entirely fictional, although it is very believable. Why else would he pick the Sabres for Kaberle. Now, you might argue that I just stated the Sabres need help on defense, and that is a very fair point. There is just one, teeny tiny flaw with this rumor: HE PLAYS FOR THE MAPLE LEAFS. Last time I checked, bitter rivals, let alone bitter division rivals, generally do not trade with one another. It just doesn’t make any sense. Now if it’s a multi-team deal, okay well then maybe it could happen. But you don’t make teams above you that much stronger when you’ve got a blue chip like Kaberle in your hole. Toronto needs a whole mess of help, so its not that simple to nail down who they would target, but don’t count on it being a goalie. Ugh.

For the last part of my article tonight, I’m going to make some predictions. This list my change over the next 6 days, but as of right now, these are my hunches based upon rumors I have read or logic:

1.) Vinny is going to stay in Tampa. It doesn’t make sense to move him immediately following him agreeing to a long-term deal last summer.
2.) Bouwmeester will stay in Florida. They just beat the Rangers tonight, are a mere 5 points from 5th but 1 point from being out of it. They are in the hunt and with both Vokun and Johnson performing admirably in net, I think they might change their tune and try to make a run beyond the 1 round and out prediction many analysts have made.
3.) Gomez isn’t going anywhere, his contract is too big, and he’s too important of a person in the Rangers game plan. If Sather does make a move, I honestly think Ranger fans will tear down the Garden, and I am not even remotely kidding. I could honestly see a revolution outside of MSG on Wednesday if Gomez is traded.
4.) Sean Avery will not wear Ranger blue this season. Too many teams will do everything in their power to put a claim to him on reentry waivers. He’s the A1 Steak Sauce to the steak that is the Rangers’ playoff hopes. Well, him and Gomez.
5.) The Devils will not move any of their 3 goalies. The best chance they have is if Ryan Miller is out for longer than anticipated. Right now, he still remains day to day with a high ankle sprain. This is one of those predictions that could change.
6.) This trade deadline could be more unimpressive than last seasons. We could very well have seen the biggest moves with Whitney for Kunitz and a prospect. [which, by the way, was highway robbery by the Pens.]

There you have it, my 6 picks for the night. I will add to it later on, but that’s all for now.

A Loss, a Streak and an Addition (or Two?)

• Washington snapped the Devils’ 8 game winning streak. While doing so, they extended their own streak to 3 games.
• Washington won the season series by capturing two victories in regulation. The Devils’ two wins came in overtime, thus giving Washington 6 points and the Devils only 4.
• The Caps now lead the Devils by 3 points in the Eastern Conference.
• With his shorthanded goal, Jamie Langenbrunner has seven goals in 4 games. 2 of the 7 have come shorthanded, 3 were game winners.
• His 3 straight 2 goal games with 3 straight game winners, Langenbrunner tied an NHL record with the likes of Wayne Gretzky.
• Travis Zajac’s assist on Langenbrunners’ Game winning goal against the Penguins set a new career high for assists with 27. It also tied him for his career high in points. He broke that mark with his assist on Langenbrunner’s shorthanded goal against the Capitals, he now sits at 43 points, and is just 2 goals from breaking that mark as well.
• Brendan Shanahan now has 3 goals and an assist for the Devils. Two of the three goals have come by way of the power play. And if his current trend holds true, Shanahan is due to register at least a goal in Friday’s game against the Thrashers.
• Following the loss, the Devils announced a trade – Sheldon Brookbank to Anaheim for the contract rights to Colgate University center David McIntyre. Brookbank was a waste of a roster spot outside of the one, maybe two, good games he played for the Devils. He struggled to keep up on defense, and was an even more dismal forward while eating up 59 games. He amassed a staggering 8 assists in that time period. What possible role could he fill for the Ducks is unclear, but it does a few things for the Devils: A) Frees up over $500,000 in cap space. B) Frees up a roster spot making Lou Lamoriello’s life easier when Martin Brodeur returns to action. C) Gives the Devils another Colgate standout in their system, Corbin McPherson being the other.
• McIntyre has been touted as a great player with excellent speed and solid puck handling abilities by many scouting websites. The junior currently leads the Raiders with 30 points in 26 games, with 17 goals. Speculation has him returning to Colgate for his senior season.
• Brodeur is currently on track to make his return to the Devils for the February 26th game at The Rock against the Anaheim Ducks. While Brodeur has high hopes of returning as quickly as possible, coach Brent Sutter has no intention of rushing his rehab and even has gone as far as saying that Marty will not be playing every day like he has been used to over the past few seasons. – This is a brilliant move. The Devils should keep riding the hot hand of Scott Clemmensen while giving Marty spot starts to shake off the rust. This will allow him to be 100% in form and health wise by the time the playoffs roll around. Keep Kevin Weekes on the NHL roster but use him sparsely and as a healthy scratch.