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: Offense

Unlike the defensive unit, the New Jersey Devils' offensive corps is in a major state of influx. After starting off the season red hot, as a whole they cooled considerably, averaging just over 2 goals a game and being shut out twice over the season's final 10 games. With the late season injury to Ilya Kovalchuk, no one on the Devils stepped up offensively. The Devils have 11 forwards on the current roster who will need new contracts, but it is highly unlikely all of the will remain in Newark by the time training camp opens. 

KEEP WITHOUT QUESTION 

 

Patrik Elias is a free agent for the first time since the Devils nearly lost their franchise's best forward to, reportedly, their cross river rivals the New York Rangers. Elias is coming off a $6 million annual deal, and while he continuously is near, if not at the top of, the Devils' scoring list, the Devils would certainly like to retain his services for less than his previous deal. If Elias decided to ask for an identical deal, as long as it is not for much longer than 3 years, it is hard to envision the Devils' not extending a deal to one of their core, heart and soul players. 

Adam Henrique leads the list of the Devils' numerous Restricted Free Agents. Coming off his entry level contract, the Devils & Henrique need to come to an agreement on a contract and not allow any bitterness to flow over. Henrique is a valuable asset to New Jersey's future and has already written himself into the Devils' history books by clinching two series victories with overtime game winning goals last year. As was the case with nearly the entire team, Henrique struggled in productivity this season. Normally, one would attribute his lack of success to a sophomore slump but with the rest of the team literally vanishing from the goal column, Henrique gets a pass. 

Andrei Loktionov was the Devils' best acquisition during the season and was an incredible steal of a deal. Acquired February 6th from the Los Angeles Kings for a 5th round pick, Loktinov scored 8 goals and added 4 assists over the 28 games he played following his call up from Albany of the AHL. One of his most impressive feats were his off balance goal against the Philadelphia Flyers and his ability to gel almost effortlessly with Ilya Kovalchuk. 

The reason the Devils were able to get such a value for Loktionov was that the Kings feared he would not resign with them in the offseason. With his role up in the air in Los Angeles, Loktionov floated the idea publicly that he would leave the NHL for the KHL in the offseason. With his increased responsibility and subsequent increase in playing time, it's hard to imagine that playing time will be the reason he bolts overseas. His current ELC is valued at $575k annually so he is due for a considerable raise, but the Devils should not hesitate to pay out, especially since he seems to be showing early indications of developing impressive chemistry with countryman Ilya Kovalchuk. That statistic alone could be invaluable for the Devils future. 

Jacob Josefson finally made it through a season without suffering a considerable injury! All kidding aside, after his recall from Albany late in the season, Josefson finally put on display the reason why the Devils hold him in such high regard. If he resigns with New Jersey, he should have the inside track for the starting 3rd line center position. JJ would do himself well if he could add a few pounds of muscle on as he is on the smaller size for someone his height. This would help him get into the dirty areas for better rebound opportunities thus potentially leading to higher point totals as he progresses through his career. 

IF THE PRICE IS RIGHT... 

David Clarkson leads the list of players who would be an excellent fit to remain on the Devils but might no be wise. During the season, rumors began to circulate that Clarkson could seek $5 million annually, if not higher, when the free agency period begins this summer. Yes, he put up 30 goals last season and scored 10 in under 15 games this year, but he also had a goalless drought which lasted over 20 games. His inability to find the net during that stretch was only further magnified by the rest of the teams scoring woes, especially when Kovalchuk went down with his injury. Clarkson is a pure heart player, but his inconsistency scoring mixed with the bad penalties and he sudden onset of whining and begging for calls may have reduced his stock, especially if the rumored contract demands are accurate. The Devils would be wise in allowing Clarkson to chase larger dollar figures elsewhere if it comes down to $5 million per as he will most likely not be able to sustain his sudden scoring prowess. 

Dainius Zubrus is a major fan favorite. His current contract of $3.4 million annually over 4 years was not the greatest of deals but he did perform admirably when healthy. Some fan groups had unrealistic expectations of Zubrus being a major offensive threat when he signed for the contract but those who knew why he was signed understand he played well enough to make the contract worthwhile. Durability and age are the two factors which are working against Zubes. At 35 by the time free agency begins, Zubrus is another older veteran who the Devils will need to not only think about is health but also length of contract hen they approach him for a deal. 

Matt D'Agostini played well enough to remain a Devil. The problem is his qualifying offer is $1.8 million so the Devils would need to negotiate a longer contract if they want to keep Hamas it is highly unlikely they would be okay with committing to that type of money for one season. Adding to their reluctance should also the fact D'Ags tops out as a fill in on the 2nd line and is more of a bottom 6 player who also garners some time on special teams. He's still under restricted free agent status so it will be interesting to see how his summer will play out. 

COIN FLIP 

Mattias Tedenby is coming off his ELC. He has been less than impressive during his multiple stints at the NHL level, save from a brief hot streak three years ago, and for whatever reason he does not seem to be getting better while playing at the Albany level. While a severe facial nearly ended his career and his life this year, Tedenby's work ethic has always been suspect as he was called out by numerous coaches at the NHL level. 

Tom Kostopoulos was a good midseason pickup off the waiver wire from Pittsburgh. Always playing on the fourth line, the Greek winger registered a goal (on a penalty shot nonetheless) and 18 penalty minutes. Kostopoulos was quick to defend his teammates in scrums and posed a sizable problem for opposing defenses to worry about in front of their net during his 15 games with the club. It might not be easy to find a spot on the roster for him next season, especially with Krys Barch still under contract for another season, but GM Lou Lamoriello has done stranger moves in the past (last year signing both Cam Janssen and Barch). 

HAPPY TRAILS 

Alexi Ponikarovski played phenomenally in the playoffs for the Devils last year, even scoring the game winning goal in overtime of Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Flyers. Fans were heartbroken to learn he had signed with the Winnipeg Jets while he Devils' hands were tied waiting for a certain playoff-choke artist to decide he was too homesick to play in Jersey anymore and needed to go ack home and play with his friend in Minnesota, but I digress. 

When the Devils were on a roll to start the year, Dainius Zubrus went down with an injury. As soon as he was placed on injured reserve, Lou Lamoriello almost immediately reacquired Poni from the Jets for draft picks and a little known prospect. In his first game back, he scored against the Flyers, mirroring what he did last season upon his arrival in Newark. But the honeymoon phase quickly ended as Poni became extremely inconsistent. While his contract hit is not unbearable, the Devils could be more apt to spend the cap space elsewhere. 

Steve Sullivan was reacquired by the devils after nearly 17 years just at the trading deadline this year. It was one of those "well you knew Lou was going to do something" moves where he tried to catch lightning in a bottle and reattach a missing limb with some chewing gum and a bandaid. Playing the opposite point of Zidlicky on the power play, Sullivan used most of his chances to pass to Elias or another forward down low than shoot himself, yet both goals during his 2nd stint in Jersey were on the man-advantage. Sullivan has played over 1,000 games but it is not realistic to think he will still be in the Devils lineup entering 2013-14. 

Tom Kostopoulos

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.

Fast Start Imperative in Shortened Season

Only 20 minutes into this young season, for two teams its quite obvious their mantra: Score early, score often.

Both the Chicago Blackhawks and Pittsburgh Penguins ran up multi-goal leads in their respective season openers.

While it is extremely early in their respective games and the season, its quite obvious how much emphasis has been placed on them to have solid starts to this abbreviated season.

Hopefully, the New Jersey Devils are taking note while they wait for their clash with the New York Islanders later tonight.

The Devils, who many predict to miss or just squeak into the post season, are relatively intact from last year’s team minus Alexi Ponikarovski and Zach Parise. Both played critical roles in their run to the Eastern Conference Championship and while neither will be easy to replace, the Devils seek to show the League they are more than just a one-man team.

Tonight, they need to jump on a weaker opponent in the Islanders, a team they have struggled with, especially at Nassau Coliseum, in recent years.

One thing that will certainly interesting to watch will be the Devils’ new power-play attack, introduced by Assistant Coach Matt Shaw. Said Head Coach Peter DeBoer of the new system, “We’re going to be shooting more and looking for that perfect look less.”

Last season, the Islanders were one of the least penalized teams in the league, being shorthanded only 236 times, only 11 ahead of San Jose’s league best 225. Their penalty kill percentage, however, was a botton-10 low 80.5%.

Hopefully, the Devils, who drew around the league average of 267 penalties last year,  will be able to convert on both even strength and the advance tonight to start their season off on the right foot.

Adam Larsson, Krys Barch and Peter Harrold will be tonight’s scratches while Mattias Tedenby will get another chance to prove he’s NHL ready and will start on the 2^nd line with Patrik Elias and David Clarkson.

Sykora & Henrique Making the Most of Second Chances

A preview of the new site coming later this week

Gene Hackman playing the role of fictional football coach Jimmy McGinty told his players in The Replacements, "you men are being given what a lot of people would die to have: a second chance." His speech was meant to instill confidence in his team as they came off a tough loss. It seems as though some of the Devils players have taken a similar message to heart during the early goings of this young NHL season.

Just over a month ago, two Devils were the spotlight of a Deviling the Details season preview article: Pete Sykora and Adam Henrique.

By now, everyone is well aware of Sykora’s improbable comeback. What goes unnoticed by those not watching the Devils is the overall emergence of his game on both sides of the puck.

Sykora’s impressive offensive performance during the preseason was what earned him a spot on the Devils’ roster. His defensive abilities have undoubtedly granted him a permanent spot on the active roster, even after the Devils fully heal as a team.

With Travis Zajac and Jacob Josefson still recovering from serious injuries, the Devils have desperately needed other players step up and role-players to expand their game further. Sykora is just one of the many players who have answered the call and have been such a vital part in the Devils’ early season success, a stark contrast to the team that took to the ice a year ago.

Sykora, a former two-time 30-plus goal scorer, hasn’t lit up the score sheet to the tune of even a 20-goal pace, but has three goals on the year. His goals, coincidentally, have all come off a set-play from an offensive zone faceoff where center Patrik Elias wins the draw back and Sykora one-times the feed to the right side of the net. Sykora has also added 6 assists to his points total over the first 18 games of the season.

A player who has been even more impressive for the Devils than Petr Sykora is Adam Henrique.

Earlier this season, Henrique was thrust into not just the starting roster, but the Devils’ top line when Josefson went down with a broken collarbone suffered in the 5th game of the season versus the San Jose Sharks.

While Henrique was sent down to Albany for what General Manager Lou Lamoriello called a better opportunity before the Devils’ weekend set with the Sharks and Penguins, he returned to the Devils following the training stint a different player.

Before his brief re-focusing stint, Henrique averaged a mere 12 minutes of ice time, and amassed no points during his first 3 games this season. Since then, he has averaged at least 5 minutes more of time, including significant time on both special teams units.

With that added ice time, Henrique has also given the Devils yet another offensive threat which comes as great relief while Zach Parise and Ilya Kovalchuk find their scoring touches. Henrique registered his first NHL goal against the Philadelphia Flyers and then two nights later, registered his first multi-goal game including another first: his first game winning goal in a thrilling game against the Winnipeg Jets.

In his 12 games since being recalled from Albany, Henrique has put up 4 goals, 7 assists and is a plus-1. He also had an assist on Parise’s shorthanded goal against Buffalo last Wednesday, and has a pair of assists on the power play, including David Clarkson’s tally Saturday night which proved to be the game winner.

Henrique, as is the case with any player, is not subject to mistakes including some errant passes and defensive lapses. His other contributions, both on the attack as well as matching up defensively against some of the league’s best and holding his own, more than make up for the errors which the rookie has made.

As the Devils approach the end of the first quarter of the season, they’ll take the continued successes and contributions of Henrique and Sykora as they await Parise to hit his scoring stride coming off missing nearly an entire season.

Even after Travis Zajac returns to game-form, expect Henrique to be a major factor on the top two lines as long as he can keep up his solid performances. Sykora will also be a strong candidate to remain on the top two especially considering how he has returned to his old form with line mate and good friend, Patrik Elias.


Crosby Comes Back

Finally, on an unrelated hockey note, congrats to Sidney Crosby on his return Monday night. I mention this for two reasons, 1) concussions suck and as much as I can’t stand to hear about him day and night on various hockey programs, I love rooting against him and the Penguins and 2) shamelessly hoping that by accident people will search his name and come upon my blog. But folks, can we stop comparing this comeback to the one that happened over a decade ago?

Mario Lemieux’s return to hockey and the Pittsburg Penguins was truly monumental. For those not familiar, Lemieux retired from hockey in 1997 after undergoing numerous back surgeries, and four years after being diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in ’97, but three years later, Lemieux returned to the Penguins where he would play until the 2005-06 season. Lemieux used that last season to quite literally pass the torch of the Penguins to Crosby.

So before we bronze Crosby’s skates from Monday’s game, let’s remember people have suffered worse than a concussion and returned.

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.

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.

Walking the Line

Less than two weeks from the trade deadline, and just over 20 games to go in the regular season, the Devils are doing just that, "walking the line."

They're walking the fine line between being buyers or sellers over the next 12 days. This week could, and probably be, the defining factor for the Devils as a team for the remainder of the season.

With two games against the 8th place Hurricanes, and a match-up with the rival, and current 7th place, Rangers in between, 6 critical points are there for the taking.

If the Devils want to maintain any glimmers of hope of sneaking into the post-season, they realistically need all 4 points versus Carolina while allowing none in return. In short, they need to win their showdowns with the Hurricanes tonight and Saturday in regulation to stay alive. Should they be able to do that, they'll find themselves within 8 points of a coveted playoff spot and almost certainly be buyers at the trade deadline.

Winning has not come easily for the Devils as of late as their last two games have been decided by just one goal, and the offense has not been able to crack the three goal mark in either game. What has been consistent, however, has been the play of Johan Hedberg in net.

When Martin Brodeur went down with an MCL sprain agains the Canadiens 10 days ago, some Devils fans feared the worst. Hedberg, on the other hand, quieted the skeptics with his play over the past four games, earning wins in three and allowing an average of just over one goal per game including his relief appearance for the injured Brodeur.

Helping Hedberg has been the exceptional play of winger Ilya Kovalchuk who has netted back to back game winning goals and is riding a multiple game point streak.

The biggest downside to tonight's encounter will be the absence of defenseman Anton Volchenkov who is sitting the third and final game of his suspension.

The Devils will look to get back to their form from a few games ago and get the lead early. Obviously, playing with an early lead is much easier than playing catch-up, but when the Devils score within the first 10 minutes of a game, they usually score no fewer than 3 goals.

I see this game being a 4-2 decision, Devils on top. Kovalchuk will add two points, his goal will not be the winner, however, that will be Patrick Elias' honor as he gets back into a scoring groove.

The Individual vs The Team Player

Maybe a better title would be “The Individualistic Person versus the Athlete Who Actually Cares About Their Sport,” but let’s be honest, that just doesn’t flow as easily as the current one.

When you look at nearly every All Star Competition out there, there is an overwhelming focus on the individual to perform better than his peers. In baseball, you have the Home Run Derby, basketball you have the slam dunk contest, 3 point contest, and a handful of other drills which are combined for an overall team score, yet it is all where the focus is on the individual.

Even outside of the so called All Star “Game,” watching any highlight show, you see the most mundane of accomplishments being glorified. In the day and age of preaching “teamwork” and “being team players,” people are flooded with images of individual achievements and plays.

As hockey blogger, Eklund pointed out “ESPN Sportscenter isn't about sports teams, it's about athletes. There may be no "I" in team, but if you watch ESPN you quickly realize you can't spell team without "ME." From Barry Bonds, to Alex Rodrigez...Peyton Manning to Tiger Woods...ESPN covers individuals and their respective, corresponding soap operas.”

How long did the nation get wrapped up in the Tiger Woods scandal? Weeks, months? I’m sure we all know more about his former wife, Elin, swinging a 9 iron at the rear windshield and his infidelities which led to that memorable event.

How about the Lebron James embarrassment? For a month, Sportscenter not only covered, but GLORIFIED his gold digging and attention seeking. Then, to top it all off, they devoted an hour, yes, the most boring hour in sports history, to give him the national spotlight in which to further prove he never cared about any team as much as the money.

For you James defenders, if it was only about winning, why did he need a max contract in order to sign in South Beach? He never was about the team nor loyalty, otherwise he would have stayed in Cleveland, close to the town that supported him throughout his rise to fame and continued to support him even when the team struggled, even after they barely showed up in the finals the one time they made it.

Hockey is not exempt from lengthy contract disputes, as we saw last summer with the Ilya Kovalchuk saga. Yet, when he did sign his deals, there were no hour long specials devoted to just him, there were no high-school esc pep rallies at the Prudential Center to “introduce” him the fans. He signed on the dotted line, held a press conference [just like EVERY sport] then walked around some landmarks in Newark for photos to promote the team.

Even after their respective games, hockey players’ true colors come out continuously. Win or lose, players will make an effort to not only meet their fans, but to communicate with them and even sign autographs. Not every player stops outside the arena after games, but at some point during the year, they do. They appreciate the fans and their commitment and it shows. Through the autographs, public appearances, and even through social media outlets such as Twitter, players try to reach out to their fans. They seldom utilize the players only parking areas which are completely separated from any fan contact, and rarely ignore those who are appreciative of them, like other athletes.

Sportcenter continuously shows athletes and their individual accomplishments throughout their “Top 10” segment. Plays which require team efforts (deep touchdown passes, blocks which spring their running backs for touchdowns, alley-oops, 6-4-3 double plays) rarely beat out breakaway slam dunks or dunks in which another player is embarrassed. Individual over the team is in the forefront time and time again.

Hockey is barely shown on the network or its highlight shows. Why bother cover a sport in which its players, let’s face it, are pretty normal. Out of all the “major sports” the players are most like their fans. Even when certain players seem to break away from the pack, nights like last night show them in a different light, the same light they once stood. Even with larger salaries, nearly every player still holds that same energy, that same attitude, they love their jobs, they love their sport, they love simply being a hockey player.

Rarely do you see such jubilation in other leagues when their players get selected for their respective games, let alone at the events themselves. In other sports, the players weigh collecting their bonuses versus having time off. Understandable considering how much time they spend away from their families, but rather than fulfill their obligations to the fans who voted them in, they’d put themselves before the league and bail out.

In hockey, the players who did not attend the weekend have legitimate concerns. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are out with significant injuries, while Jarome Iginla requested to be given leave from the events to be with an ailing family member. You don’t hear anyone worrying about getting hurt, even though it’s a prominent risk [see: Mike Richter and his knees]. Veterans and rookies alike are excited to not only have the chance to play against their idols, but to be a part of something so unique.

The fantasy draft saw rivals selecting one another, families literally split up, everyone having a phenomenal time. Patrik Elias and Henrik Lundqvist were seen multiple times talking and kidding around, Nicklas Lidstrom selected Duncan Keith, the Sedin twins [Henrik and Daniel] were split up for the first time probably ever. From Cam War to the last Phil Kessel, everyone had a smile on their face and were excited to be there.

Hopefully, this trend will find its way into other sports, but with so many conflicting personalities and various egos to play down to, I highly doubt it will.

So tonight if you have a chance, hockey fan or not, tune to Versus, TSN, CBC or whatever your preferred hockey network is to just watch a group of grown men reminding us all that some players care more about the love of the game than their own paycheck.

20 Games A.B. [After Brodeur]

The Good

Scott Clemmensen – Hands down playing lights-out hockey right now. He could be considered the MVP of the Devils, or at least sharing that title with their leading scorer Zach Parise. Once Marty went down hurt, and Kevin Weekes could not achieve a level of consistency, Clemmensen rose to the occasion. Amidst the rumors of Khabibulin and Roloson, Clemmer took it upon himself to establish an air of consistency in net for the Devils. Making save after save, Clemmensen allowed the devils to focus their efforts on attacking the other team’s next, which then allowed them to get hot. 6 wins in seven games and nine of 10 helped thrust the Devils right in the middle of the playoff hunt. This type of streak is uncommon for goalies not named Brodeur on the Devils. Also, with today’s victory, his 11th, Clemmensen has the most wins of a Devils goalie not named Brodeur since Chris Terreri in 1993-1994. [Special thanks to Steve Cangailosi for that statistic.]

The Devils Offense – Yes, you did read that correctly, the Devils offense is Hotter than Jessica Biel in her bikini scene in Summer Catch [see here]. They have accounted for 33 goals in 9 games in the month of December alone, which translates to just below 4 goals a game at 3.67. Since the loss of Brodeur 20 games ago, the Devils have tallied 5 or more goals in a game 6 times, that’s right, 6 times, including back to back 5 goal performances against Buffalo and Ottawa. The top two lines are gelling well, and are firing on all cylinders. If a team plans on going far into the playoffs, they need at least two solid lines who can provide a scoring threat. The Stanley Cup finalists from last year, Pittsburg and Detroit, proved that last season, and it continues on back down the line.

Zach Praise continues to wow the crowds with his ability to single handedly carry this team as well as put points on the board. Travis Zajac has rediscovered his scoring touch which he seemed to lose last season in a sophomore slump. Patrik Elias is also on fire right now, with a 10 game, 17 point streak going and has tallied points in 15 of his last 16 games where he has added 28 points to his season total. Prior to that, he had only 8 points in 15 games. His current point pace would put him on the cusp of 100 at 95, which would be his highest since he added 96 in 2000-2001. Both he and Parise are in the top 10 in the NHL, and the last time 2 Devils players finished in the top 10 in scoring, assistant coach John MacLean was donning an A on his jersey.

Brian Rolston – Back after missing 14 games with an ankle injury, Rolston has began to find his scoring touch as well. While he only has 4 points on the season, he has goals in two of his last three games, all the while playing on the third line with a rotating cast of characters, today he was with David Clarkson and Jay Pandolfo. As Rolston works his way back to 100% health, look for him to continue to add firepower to the offense.

Mike Mottau and Jay Leach – Many people, myself included, were confused and maybe even a little upset that Mike Mottau was retained in the offseason. I, for one, thought he was too much of a liability and his inconsistent play would doom the team considering he would have to play a good amount of minutes this season. This season, however, Mottau has played 28 out of 31 games, logging an average of 18 minutes of ice time. His plus minus sits at a comfortable plus 9 while he has contributed 6 assists to the team. He has become very smart with the puck as the season has progressed, and his awareness on both sides of the puck is something desperately needed on this defense.

Leach has also been a pleasant surprise. While Andy Greene had been injured and Sheldon Brookbank continues to be as useful as wet toilet paper, Leach has stepped up to earn playing time with the Devils. He received two games in early November, then was sent back to Lowell, only to be recalled again on the 23rd. Since that recall, Leach has not missed a game, playing in all 10 of the Devils’ contests. Typically Leach is paired with Mottau, and has contributed just as effectively. He adds both size and a take-no-crap attitude on the defense, and is not afraid to throw down the gloves. In today’s game, for example and as Ken Daneyko pointed out in the post-game, Leach and Rupp were quick to stand up for their teammates who were being harassed by the Flyers players. While both Leach and Mottau are not major offensive threats from the blue line, by bringing consistency and solid defense to whichever line they pair up allows that forward set to take more chances and be a much larger threat down ice.

The Bad

Surrendering Leads – Yes, the offense is potent, and yes, they have managed to hang on or come back for the eventual victory, but far too many times already the Devils have gotten leads, and given them up. Today, they had a two goal lead on the Flyers before surrendering a goal in the 2nd and another in the 3rd to allow Philly to still gain a point by forcing overtime. Since the beginning of the current hot streak, the Devils have surrendered leads on six different occasions, including a four goal lead against the Rangers, a game the Devils eventually would win by three goals. Only one of these instances, however, have the Devils failed to emerge with a point in the game and that was at the hands of the Buffalo Sabres, a game where the final was 4-2. The other instance where the Devils lost was a 3-2 shootout loss to the Maple Leafs.

Kevin Weekes – Enough has been said about the poor performance of Weekes in the previous article about the goaltending. My biggest gripe: rebound control. Rebounds mean second chances which unfortunately have turned into goals in most cases for the struggling and the now back up to the 2nd backup.

John Madden – While he hasn’t been performing poorly, Madden hasn’t played in back to back games with a supposed flu bug, but with the team firing on all cylinders and the defense rising to the occasion, many have been speculating that Madden might be on the chopping block, especially after his absence from the active roster Friday night against the Senators, which was the last game before the holiday roster freeze. Madden and his sub-$3 million price tag have recently been subject to movement as he as a valuable asset for a team needed a solid defensive forward. It will also free up some cap space going into free agency next summer as Travis Zajac will need his contract renewed along with a handful of other Devils, Madden included. Don’t get me wrong, I love Madden, he’s a gritty player and always plays hard, game in and game out, I am just speculating what I have read on nj.com.

The Ugly

Colin White – Please, for a moment, forget the points and the plus minus total, they are VERY deceiving. Yes, he has 10 points, one of which is a goal, but how many of those assists are of the secondary nature? His shot against the Leafs was saved and the rebound was buried by Mike Rupp in one heck of an offensive effort by the 4th line and Whitey, but early in the 2nd, he looked lost as the Leafs netted the equalizer. Today, on the Flyers’ first goal, he didn’t even lay a finger on Jeff Carter as he scored on the power play as they pulled the score within one. He has been way too large of a liability on defense, I would rather see Sheldon Brookbank starting in his spot, and that says a lot because I despise Brookbank.

Whitey was a force to be reckoned with in the past, but ever since nearly losing an eye in an accident in practice during the summer of 2007, he has not been even remotely the shell of the player he used to be. I don’t know if it is because of his injury or what, but he just does not seem to know what is going on. His awareness has plummeted and his physicality is almost non-existent during play. Sure, he will act tough after the whistle once in a while and go face to face with an opposing player, but he never fights anymore, and takes stupid, lazy penalties. Sadly, he is under contract at $3 million a season until 2013, that’s right, four more full seasons of this contract blunder. If he would do more with his size, I would be more opt to let him get away with his defensive blunders, but he wont even be tough with his size. He’s like a telephone booth, big but freakin’ useless nowadays. Maybe a team will come calling that will have a need for White and the Devils could luck out with unloading the remainder of his $12 million contract. Only time will tell.

A Sigh of Relief and a Slice of Humble Pie

Last week, I had made a comment suggesting that in order for the Devils to remain competitive in the Eastern Conference, yet alone the Atlantic Division, the next four games were essentially must win games. At worst, I felt they needed three of four.

I predicted the Islanders would be as they have been lately, pains in their asses. But after a solid effort Thursday night against the panthers, a hard physical battle Saturday against the Isles and an offensive explosion Sunday against the Lightning, the Devils seem to be getting back on the right track and then some.

The first line is playing like the premier line that they should be. Zubrus seemed to have a mean streak today and launched an assault on the back of the net and both Lightning goaltenders. Now, before people fire back that Tampa is in turmoil right now, it is Dainius Zubrus and he is finally starting to hit some form of a stride for the team. Streaks need to start somewhere so why not against a bottom feeder to build momentum going into another game vs. the Panthers followed by the defending conference champion Penguins. While only have 6 points over the past 5 games, Zubrus has the four goals to his credit and assists on two big goals against the Panthers.

Brian Gionta has seen his goals drop steadily since his record setting 2005-2006 campaign where he scored 48 goals and amassed 89 points, all in the final year of his contract. He was rewarded for his efforts with a 3 year, $4 million extension which he has not lived up to that career year. This season, Gionta is playing for another contract. Going into last weekend’s match ups against the Capitals, Gionta had only tallied two goals and seven assists. While it is a fair point to add the entire offense was struggling, Gionta, for the money he was given, should be producing more. During the past 5 games, however, he has been earning his keeps by netting four goals and four assists, including three games in a row of a goal and an assist each.

The last part of that front line, and the most often criticized for a disappointment in regards to production is alternate captain, Patrik Elias. After losing both Scott Gomez and Brian Rafalski, the Devils in a knee-jerk reaction signed Elias to a contract as quick as possible by throwing money at him and giving him a lot of time on it. Currently, the contract has 5 years left with an average of $6 million a season. A player with solid skills but needs a compliment to help him along with the points. The shuffle to spark Elias has been an on going process since losing Scott Gomez, Petr Sykora and Jason Arnott. While the latter two players have long since departed New Jersey, Elias has not really been the same player he was when on the “A-Line” with Sykora and Arnott. During the same span as Gionta, Elias also tallied 9 points, 4 goals 5 assists. Over the past 5 games: 4 goals and 7 assists, including four multipoint games in a row.

The three players combined have tallied 25 points, 12 of which coming in the form of goals. I know I am not alone when I say that it is about time someone on this team is finally giving Zach Parise a break from carrying the scoring workload.

The trickle down affect as not only hit the forwards, with rare but welcomed contributions from the likes of Mike Rupp and David Clarkson, but on the defense as well, with a pair of goals from Paul Martin and even tough guy Bryce Salvador finding the twine. Which leads me to my slice of humble pie section.

I, again, owe Salvador a major apology. Early on the season, I could not help but fall victim to the “place the blame on a signing that I did not fall 100% in love with” virus. I didn’t particularly like the move, even though, as has been pointed out to me on more than one occasion, he is making below league average for a defenseman. I didn’t like his performance late in the season nor out of the gate this year. However, as soon as the injury bit this team in the rear end, I saw the true value of Salvador. He is physical, all the time, and smart about it. He has great defensive awareness, but also is able to contribute on offense, as is noted by his game winning goal against the Islanders. By stepping up, he has not only proven to be a solid leader and a great teammate, but also a much needed relief for Paul Martin, who has been the one carrying much of the workload on his back. I’ll fully say it now, I’m impressed.

As long as the Zubrus line, [I’m working on a nick name for them, ZEG line doesn’t seem to work, nor goes the GEZ line], maintains even half their current rate of nightly production, I will feel more and more comfortable with the progress of this team.

Nearly two weeks ago, I didn’t like the way this team was looking, especially on the offensive side. Elias and Gionta were disappointing, the team was in turmoil. Now, with two lines firing on all cylinders, the offense can shoulder some of the turbulence from the wake of Brodeur’s injury.

Sure, Tampa gave the team a scare with their early attempts to rally, but with Zubrus’ stick absolutely on fire, the team seemed to skate with an air confidence in their strides. Thus, giving goaltender Scott Clemensen support when he needed it the most, in the third period to preserve his third win in a row.

Next stop: Florida on Wednesday night.