It doesn’t help that all six games have ended in losses for New Jersey, or that they haven’t looked particularly good in many of the games.  Still, it seems ludicrous to make rash decisions so early in the campaign.  But already, the Devils are going to jettison one of the offseason additions.  That’s right, the Devils are going to change their goal song.  Again.

Over the summer, the Devils retired longtime goal song “Rock and Roll Part Two“, possibly because the song’s performer, Gary Glitter, is a convicted child sex offender, but, more likely because Devils fans had grown accustomed to yelling “YOU SUCK” after the “HEY” chant in the song.  Seriously, anyone who tells you it’s because of Gary Glitter is crazy, because his first conviction for possessing child pornography was in the late 90s.  It’s the “YOU SUCK” and, more recently, the additional inclusion of the “(opposing team’s name) SUCKS.”  Here’s an example:

Some people (rhymes with “Harry Schmettman”) probably didn’t take too kindly to the fan additions.  My sister-in-law was instantly turned off by it at a game we attended in 2011.  However, 3 goals later, she was hollering it as loud as anyone and thirsty for more.  (Thankfully, Richard Bachman and the Dallas Stars were kind enough to oblige.  The Devils won, 6-3.)

In any event, Devils management chose to replace the song with something else this summer, and they chose Jersey’s own Bon Jovi’s “This Is Our House”.  It’s… well it’s not good.

This is a song that brings nothing to the table.  Disjointed rhythms, virtually no instrumentations, and a patter section immediately after the first line of the chorus.  What fan likes this?  Where was the test marketing for this?

So, after one home game, the Devils have already given up.  Fans received an email earlier today asking for goal song suggestions.  Jon Bon Jovi will be kicked to the Mulberry Street curb on his magnificent ass. Soooooooooo…. now that they’ve already hit rock bottom (both as a team and as a goal song), what should the new song be?  Here are my humble suggestions:

Come on!  What’s more emasculating than that for a team giving up a goal?  I can see it now, Elias goes top shelf on Henrik Lundqvist and “Oops I Did It Again!  I played with your heart…”  Who wouldn’t love that?  No?  OK…  What about this:

Isn’t it time the Devils embraced their Dark Master?

OK – this one is a bit more ridiculous, but I actually think it’s probably among the likely finalists, if it’s up to the Internet:

And the fans could even embrace making the ring-ding-a-ding sound.  (No.  No they couldn’t.)

Personally, I’d go for something more uplifting, more classic. like:

People my age will think the Nakatomi Plaza just blew up, younger people will think they just cleared a level in Peggle. And how much fun it will be to see Jersey fans sing “You suck you suck you suck you suck” along with this?!

No matter what song the Devils choose, they were smart as hell to get that email out today.  It gives the fans something to talk about and bitch about instead of paying attention to the steaming pile of excrement that’s currently masquerading as an NHL team.  Hopefully the team’s issues (defensive coverage, a team wide lack of speed) get fixed as expeditiously as this goal song debacle.

One last thing, if they decide to use that horrible Light Em Up song, I am putting the team on notice.  Just the worst song.  Let’s stop celebrating this song, Internet.  It’s the Sharknado of music.

Here’s the Cliff’s Notes.  I have low expectations of a team that missed the playoffs last season, but I’m very optimistic that the Devils will exceed those modest goals, maybe even sneak into the playoffs this season.

My optimism is mostly due to the pieces the Devils were able to add (and a little bit of addition by subtraction for the players who’ve left).

Of the departures, Kovalchuk’s hurts the most.  His sudden decision to retire (to the KHL) robbed the Devils of their most dangerous offensive player, a solid penalty killer, and an ice time hog (Kovy was the only forward in the top 50 TOI leaders last season).  His departure was a selfish, but not indefensible act.  He missed Russia and will make (and keep) more money playing in the KHL than staying a Devil.  It’s tough to blame him for it.  It is easy to hate him for it, though.  (And even easier after his comments supporting the anti-gay legislation in his home country.)

On the other hand, I’m happy to see David Clarkson go.

Clarkie was great for the Devils, but the 7 year $36.75 million dollar contract with the Maple Leafs is way too rich for the Devils (and probably too much for what Clarkson is going to bring).  While Corsi will tell you that Clarkson is a fantastic possession player, the eyeball test speaks differently.  Clarkson scored lots of important goals for the Devils, but often drove fans crazy with his play.  The 10 game suspension he earned before playing a single regular season game is the sort of thing the Leafs fans can look forward to… for seven years.

As for the arrivals, my hope is that Jaromir Jagr, Ryan Clowe, Michael Ryder and the recently signed Damien Brunner can score 85 goals between them.  And it’s fun to finally be able to root for Jagr, who still reps one of the greatest hairdos in all of sport.

No arrival will have a greater impact on the Devils this season (and hopefully for many seasons to come) than the draft day trade that brought Cory Schneider to the Devils.

Schneider gives the Devils a legitimate number one netminder to replace legend Martin Brodeur when his contract expires after this season (and Brodeur presumably retires).  Schneider might be the only goalie in the game for whom replacing surefire Hall of Famer Brodeur will be an easier experience than dealing with the Luongo situation and the media in Vancouver.  Cory’s looked great in the preseason – one can only hope that he keeps this form through the regular season… and then signs a long term extension in the offseason.

Welcome to New Jersey, Cory!  Take us back to the playoffs!

So onto the next bit of business on the NHL calendar (well, outside of the opening of the compliance buyout window). This year’s NHL Entry Draft is in Newark, at Prudential Center, marking the first time the Devils have been the host team for the NHL Draft.

So if you’re headed to Newark to see Calgary ruin the days of three fine young men (they have 3 picks in the first round), the PuckBuddys tasked me to write a quick travelogue for beautiful Newark. It won’t be as extensive as Adam’s fantastic piece about Pittsburgh last year, but I will do what I can…

No matter what Newark Mayor (and NJ Senatorial Candidate and Great American) Cory Booker might say, Newark isn’t in the midst of a renaissance (yet?). CNNMoney says Newark has the third highest robbery rate among the nation’s cities, so travel light and go with a buddy. (A PuckBuddy, if at all possible.)

So let’s start here:

This is Newark Penn Station.  It’s (maybe) a ten minute walk from The Rock, and it’s your ticket out of Newark. Trains run out of this station to all points. NJ Transit trains can take you to explore the majestic northwestern suburbs (home to yours truly, 75 minutes away) or head to Asbury Park (2 hours), or Atlantic City (3 and a half hours). Philadelphia is only 90 minutes away by train, should you want to stop by the Wells Fargo Center and laugh at Paul Holmgren (seriously?  Mark Streit?!).

Most likely, you’ll want to go to New York City (maybe to see if my gum-chewing crush Alain Vigneault is getting settled into his new digs). Getting to NYC is a snap, a PATH train from Newark gets you to the World Trade Center in 25 minutes. You can grab a PATH train (and then change at Journal Square) or take a NJ Transit train to midtown destinations. Remember, it’s Pride Week in NYC. Something fabulous is always going on in NYC, but during Pride Week the glitter factor is ratcheted up a few more notches.  (Cher is performing at the pier dance this year.  C-H-E-R.)

HOWEVER – when you are in Newark, here’s a few places I can recommend for dining experiences within (safe) walking distance of The Rock.

If you like Iberian (Spanish/Portuguese) food, Newark has several excellent places to go.  My personal favorites are Don Pepe’s (homemade sangria is a wonderful thing) and Iberia Peninsula (the patio is excellent for outdoor eating and people watching).

If you’re looking for bar food, we’ve often pre-gamed at MMM Bello’s Pub on Market Street.  Reasonable prices, a really nice beer selection, and food you can imagine pre-lap band Governor Chris Christie eating.  And since they’re not playing the Flyers, you won’t have to put up with this pile of out-of-town drunks.

There are a bunch of options right next to the arena.  The best of these is probably the (fairly new) Dino BBQ, which is located directly next to Championship Plaza.  Pretty much behind The Iron Man’s right skate.

If you wanted to catch a show in Newark, the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) is a stunning venue to see live music and theater. Unfortunately, the only act booked there this week is Gabriel Iglesias. My guess is the Venn Diagram of his fans and PuckBuddys readers has very little overlap. So maybe next time you’re in town you check out NJPAC, okay?

And now to fulfill my contractual obligations as the Devils correspondent, a little something about the home team: The Devils (courtesy of their disappointing season) hold the 9th pick in the draft. They’re woefully thin in the system on forward prospects and this is one of the deepest drafts in years. Normally, the number of impact player prospects peters out around the fifth pick, but this season, I’d say there are at least eight of those types of players. Which makes having the 9th pick a bit unlucky. However, if one of the first 8 teams takes a flyer on someone outside of that elite group, the Devils become the beneficiaries. Those options might be Elias Lindholm, Sean Monahan, or Valeri Nichushkin. All three would be great gets for the Devils.

The scenario (a team in the top 8 taking a flyer) is also the only way I can see the Devils taking a defenseman at 9. If Darnell Nurse (or, far less likely, Seth Jones) were available at 9, Lou might have to make a value-over-need pick. Assuming those things don’t happen, Lou and the Devils should take a scoring winger.  the best one on the board is probably Hunter Shinkaruk. He doesn’t have elite size, but he’s got skill and speed and the ability to finish.  If the Devils want to continue drafting former Rangers player’s kids, Max Domi might be a nice counterpart to last year’s #1 pick, Stefan Matteau.

Have a great time at the draft. The drinks are on me (if my boss allows me to expense them). Enjoy The Rock, be smart on the streets, and Go Devils!!

Picture it, Sicily 1922… Or New Jersey, 1987…

I wasn’t a Devils fan. The New York Islanders were my team. The Isles were created not too long after I was (please don’t do the math) and by the time I began to appreciate ice hockey (1980 was a big ice hockey year for me… and every other American), the Islanders were the best team in the league. It’s pretty easy to root for the local team that’s really good. Plus, my oldest brother was an Islander fan.

He was the only other person in the house who cared about hockey, so it was easy to follow his lead. Also, the Isle’s top center shared my name, even though his parents spelled it wrong. Four straight Stanley Cups validated my choice. Even as the Colorado Rockies were relocating to my fair Garden State I remained a faithful Isles supporter.

My cousin, John, was on board with the Devils pretty much from the get go. I’m not certain what NHL team he rooted for before them. Could have been anyone. I mean, his football team was the Oakland Raiders, so he wasn’t going to like a team just because they were local (obviously, they didn’t have to be very good, either). John’s family and mine lived close to each other (about 20 minutes away), and we’re roughly the same age. We saw each other all the time. John was easily my best friend through high school. So I always kept tabs on his Devils. They were local (scores and news were easy to come by), hockey was quickly becoming our favorite sport, and it did me no real good to root against the Devils (because they sucked).

By the mid-80s, the Islanders dynasty was fading as Gretzky and the Oilers were piling up goals (and Stanley Cups) in Edmonton. And the landscape of the Patrick Division (look it up, youngsters) was changing. John and I saw the writing on the wall – there was a new, rapidly maturing threat to both of our teams. It was you, Lemieux. It was always you. And oh, how we hated Mario Lemieux.

I hated him for his combination of otherworldly talent and ginormous size. John hated him because of those gifts and because he thought the Penguins tanked games during the 1983-84 season to get the first pick ahead of the Devils (they probably did). Lemieux piled up 348 points in his first three NHL seasons. Each highlight reel goal and assist fueled the fires of our hatred.

By the end of the 1986-87 season, John got his driver’s license, and this newfound freedom was a major step in my conversion. We could now, independently, go to hockey games. Sometimes even on school nights! And Devils’ tickets were cheap. We usually got in for five bucks. Not a lot of people were beating down the doors to see that crappy team. These two factors (wheels and anti-Lemieuxness) brought me to accept John’s offer to go to see the Devils and Penguins open the 1987-88 season at Brendan Byrne Arena (look it up, youngsters). It was October 9th, 1987.

There, a fresh-faced, apple-cheeked redhead changed my life. (No, the rest of this story does not take place in an arena bathroom.)  His name was Doug Brown. A winger, he played in four games the previous season, registering one assist, but this year he made the Devils lineup out of training camp. He was a third or fourth line player that season, but he would make his mark that night as a penalty killer. The Devils were shorthanded, and #66 (ihatehimihatehimihatehim) was speeding the puck out of his own zone, no doubt thinking how he would set up some fantastic goal once he reached our zone, but then a funny thing happened. This rookie Brown, this redheaded grinder, dispossessed Lemieux of the puck at the Pens blue line. Just picked his pocket! The nerve! Brown went in alone on Pat Riggin, the Pittsburgh goalie. He made a sick move, maybe five fakes, before depositing a backhand into the net for his first NHL goal.

I’m sure if I watched the tape now, it wasn’t as glorious as I remember. Maybe it was just one deke, then the shot. Maybe it was a forehand. But to us (John, John’s brother Jamie and me), it was a staggering play. For me, it was like magic. We would talk about this play the rest of the night, a night that saw the Devils double up the hated Penguins 6-3. We would recreate the play when we played street hockey, bring it up whenever we saw someone get stripped of the puck (“Remember when Doug Brown did that to Lemieux?” “Yeah – but Brown made Lemieux look so much worse!”).

There may have been subtle signs that my hockey allegiances were sliding towards the red and green of the Devils, but that game, specifically that goal, was a cathartic moment in my life. From that moment on, I was a Devil.

Mostly the Playoffs. In honor of Ms. Murphy’s joining Mr. Sondheim’s most mainstream musical, I will be doing an Into The Woods-themed post!

THIS IS THE WORLD I MEANT, COULDN’T YOU LISTEN?

Looking back at the regular season, who would have guessed how things would turn out for the Devils, finishing up as the 6th seed in the Eastern Conference.  Wait…..  I did! So I’ve got that going for me.

Zach Parise

I predicted then that Kovalchuk and Parise would need to combine for 75 goals.  They scored 68, and Kovy played a more complete game than fans thought possible; he played in all situations (even PK!), tallied 23 more points in 4 fewer games, and went from a -26 to a -9 (+2 after the All Star Break).  

Parise bounced back from last season’s injury with a solid 69 point campaign (and, to his credit, a surprising lack of drama about his impending free agency).

NO ONE IS ALONE

David Clarkson

The Devils’ two superstar wingers certainly were helped by enormous contributions up and down the squad.  Rookie Adam Henrique forced himself into the lineup with Travis Zajac out and put himself in the Calder Trophy conversation with a 51 point season. David Clarkson surpassed anyone’s expectations with a 30 goal season (and a nice commercial for a local hockey store that shows Clarkie can fill out a pair of jeans).

Some contributions came from familiar places – Patrik Elias was 2nd (and 10th in the league) with 78 points. As good as Kovy and Parise were, Elias was the team’s most consistent player. I love Elias so much that I just ordered a Volchenkov jersey, knowing that Patrik won’t be jealous. No shirt would be enough to symbolize my devotion, P.

Patrik Elias

Mark Fayne

The defensive corps didn’t put up many points this season, but they got better as the season progressed.  Bryce Salvador returned from the concussion that kept him out all last season and played smart, solid defense for the full 82 games.  Mark Fayne followed up his strong rookie season by playing like a veteran – the point totals were meager (17 points), but he was one of the Devils’ most reliable players.  Volchenkov scored two more goals than he did in his first season as a Devil (which is to say, he scored two goals).  For the money he’s being paid, Volchy needs to be a difference maker in the defensive zone, maybe we’ll see his physical play ramp up in the playoffs.  When healthy (only 59 games), Andy Greene was his normal solid self.

IT TAKES TWO

Alex Ponikarovsky

GM Lou Lamoriello made two critical midseason additions.  Seeing that the Devils third and fourth lines struggling, Lou traded for veteran winger Alex Ponikarovsky from the Hurricanes.  Poni helped turn the third line into a strength, coming up with 7G 11A +9 in his 33 games as a Devil.  Just before the trade deadline, Lou was able to unload the previously-acquired black hole of power play time, Kurtis Foster, on the Wild in exchange for their in-the-doghouse D Marek Zidlicky.  Zidlicky had a rough start, but soon established himself as a PP quarterback and all-situations player, with 8 points in 22 games.

NO KNOT UNTIES ITSELF (IT REQUIRES A SHOOTOUT)

No team took better advantage of the NHL’s overtime/shootout rules than the Devils, who won 16 games after regulation, including 12 shootout wins.  Sadly for the Devils (as no real fan would ever complain about overtime hockey in the playoffs), those numbers won’t create any tangible advantage from here on out.  I could go on and on looking back on this season but…

THE TIME HAS COME FOR A FESTIVAL!

Playoff hockey returns to New Jersey after a one-year absence.  Here are some things I’ll be watching…

MANTICORE?  IMAGINARY!  GRYPHON?  EXTINCT!

Panthers… Very very possible.  The Devils first round opponents are the Southeast Division winners and third seed in the Eastern Conference.  The Devils are widely considered to be the favorites in this series, finishing with a better record, and were 7-2-1 in their last 10 games heading into the playoffs, while the Panthers stumbled into the playoffs at 2-3-5.

ALL THREE WERE BEAUTIFUL OF FACE, BUT VILE AND BLACK OF HEART

The Devils defense will be most concerned about the Panthers’ top line of Tomas Fleischmann, Stephen Weiss, and Kris Versteeg.  The Panthers place the bulk of their scoring burden on these three, who all had over 50 points (no other forward had more than 32).  The Devils have had problems keeping those three in check during the regular season, and if they are unable to keep them from scoring 2-3 goals/game, it will make this series much tougher on the Devils.  Blueliners Brian Campbell (53 points) and Jason Garrison (16 goals) will also need to be accounted for when the Panthers have the puck.

THINK OF THOSE CRISP, AGING BONES

Marty Brodeur

There’s no way around this.  Martin Brodeur is old.  (As NHL Goalies go, he’s old.  If he were a gay hockey blogger, he’d be in his prime…)  Given his age, Coach DeBoer did a great job managing Marty’s workload, and he’s playing his best hockey as we head into the playoffs (if you ignore the howler he let in vs. Ottawa).  The Panthers will counter with… someone.  

As of this writing, neither Jose Theodore or former Devil Scott Clemmensen has been named the starter for the playoffs.  Neither has a resume that suggest they’ll outplay Brodeur, but it’s the playoffs.  Anything can happen.

AGONY, MISERY, WOE

Anton Volchenkov

The Devils’ top defenseman from last year, Henrik Tallinder, will likely miss the playoffs with a blood clot in his leg that kept him out of the last 37 games of the season.  C Jacob Josefson will miss roughly five more weeks with a broken wrist  – a shame as the second-year player was playing his best hockey when he got injured.  Anton Volchenkov (can’t wait to wear my new jersey!) and Clarkson, who both missed the last game of the regular season, will be ready to go when the puck drops Friday night.

THERE ARE BIG, TALL, TERRIBLE GIANTS IN THE SKY

Devils’ enforcers Eric Boulton and Cam Janssen (combined 0G 1A) on the season will, barring injury or a drastic change in tactics, watch the playoffs from the press box as healthy scratches.  It appears rookie D Adam Larsson will also be benched in favor of the slightly-more experienced Peter Harrold.

WE NEED FOUR, WE HAVE NONE*

It’s time to lace up the skates and get four wins!  I don’t give the Panthers much of a chance in this series – Devils have more offense and a better defense.  Their power play is much improved since the Zidlicky acquisition and the penalty kill unit set a post-expansion mark for stinginess (89.6%).  So long as they can keep the Panthers’ top line from being super-productive, this series should be over quickly, Devils in five.

*yes, I know the line is “We had none”.  Back off.  One last thing…

STAY WITH ME… STAY AT HOME…

Seriously, Zach – re-sign with the Devils.

I’ve been a bit crankier than normal these first few weeks of 2012. I hit the holiday party scene pretty hard – too much food with the family, immediately followed by too much drink to get over spending so much time with the family. I’ve been doing the diet thing. Jennifer Hudson and me – we’re counting points, y’all! I Believe!

A dieting Brian isn’t always a sane or kind Brian, so perhaps I was hasty when I wrote a really long post (still unpublished) saying the Devils were going nowhere this season and that Parise wasn’t going to re-sign so Lou should trade him now.

Meanwhile, in Newark, something has been brewing since the All-Star Break. The Devils are 4-0 with all the wins coming against current playoff teams (and Montreal.  Sorry, @mattsko, I don’t know how I could mistake the Habs for a playoff team). 

Leading the second-half charge has been Ilya Kovalchuk, which gives the PB boys a reason to run the odd Kovy pillow fetish pic (though I wish they’d show the one which flashes his hairy legs and a one helluva calf muscle). During the four-game winning streak, Kovalchuk has 10 points (3G, 7A) and the winning shootout goal in the Rangers game.  

There have been times in his career when people (fans usually) have questioned Ilya’s passion for the game. 

I’ve heard Devil fans say that he’s only concerned about his own offense and that he’d never fit in with the Devils’ philosophy. I say those people aren’t paying attention to the games. 

Kovy’s game has changed this season; there have been fewer blind passes, fewer 1-on-5 plays, and it’s led to fewer bad turnovers and more goals. He’s worked so hard on his defense that he’s taking regular shifts on the PK; this weekend he notched his third shorthanded goal of the season (he only had three in his career before this season).

He’s playing with incredible passion – check out this clip of him tying Tuesday’s Ranger game.  Catch his post-goal reaction – Rich Chere tweeted that he was swearing in Russian. This is a guy who wants to win, especially against the Rangers.

More proof?  Check out Saturday’s game.  Kovy puts up a Gordie Howe hat trick (a goal, an assist, and a fight). The fight came as a response to Zach Parise receiving a cheap slew-foot by the Flyers’ Zac Rinaldo (who was fined by the league for his treachery). Kovy went after Rinaldo, who refused to engage. Brayden Schenn stepped in for his gutless teammate to fight Kovy, and this is what happened. I could watch that all day. Here’s a longer cut of it, if you want to hear Chico Resch compare Kovy’s legs to a powerlifter’s. 

Lastly, I offer a moment from Sunday’s game.  The Devils took a 2-0 lead on the Penguins when Kovy returned a pass to Anton Volchenkov, who slid the puck into an empty net for his first goal as a Devil (and first in a Gomez-ian 104 games). There’s no good video of it (I saw it during a between-period interview) but Kovy’s overjoyed for Volchenkov; he made sure he rescued the puck for his teammate and had a giant smile on his face.

So, even though I don’t think these Devils are Cup contenders, and that I’d totally trade Parise and Bryce Salvador for Jonathan Bernier, Sasha Voinov and a #1 pick, I’m giving Kovy, Parise, Elias and the Devils a couple more weeks to win me all the way over. I’d like nothing more than to eat my words. After all, words are zero points.

Follow Brian on Twitter, zero points but major satisfaction: @trot71

“In any given NHL season, there are anywhere from four to ten teams with a legitimate shot at winning the Stanley Cup.

After 47 games, I’m fairly certain the New Jersey Devils (as currently constructed) are not one of those teams.

It’s likely they’ll make the playoffs, but I don’t see them making any kind of charge at the fourth Cup in franchise history.  “Why”, you ask.

They can’t beat good teams.  As noted hockey fan Theodor Geisel once said, “They can’t beat them at home, they can’t beat them in Nome. Their field service management is inadequate on the ice.  They can’t beat them on the road, they can’t beat them with a toad.”  (Really.  He said it to me at a Rangers-Leafs game a while back.)

Alexei Ponikarovsky

The trade for Alexei Ponikarovsky makes it seem like the Devils consider themselves contenders, which seems desperate – which isn’t surprising, when you consider the financial struggles (here’s a nice synopsis) and their strong desire to retain Zach Parise, who maintains that his primary requirement for his next contract is to play for a team that will compete for the Stanley Cup. 

It’s important that they put up a good front, but the proof is going to be on the ice and I just don’t think they have the team to make any kind of playoff run. “Why”, you ask again.  (Seriously, you’re like a 5 year old with all the “Whys”). Here’s why, ya rotten kid.

The Goaltending ain’t good enough.  Brodeur (2.84 GAA/.893 SV%) simply isn’t playing at an “elite” level (or even a “good enough” level) to lead a team through the playoffs.  No way, no how.  And Hedberg’s been good (2.45/.909), but he’s probably not the answer here, either. The Devils are not a good 5-on-5 team.  According to behindthenet.ca, the Devils are the 5th worst team in the league at full strength.  The four teams below them?  The Oilers, Sabres, Blue Jackets and (sorry Vinny) Islanders – not exactly playoff teams.  This might not be so bad, except… The Devils are downright awful when they have the man advantage.

Adam Oates

So awful that behindthenet says that if the Devils were 5-on-4 for an entire 60 minutes, they would only outscore their opponents by 1.9 goals (Vancouver, by comparison, would outscore their opponents by 7.6 goals).  They’ve managed to cut down on the shorthanded goals against recently, now it’s time to score more PPG.  There’s too much offensive talent on this roster for this power play to be so bad.  Some have repeatedly called for Adam Oates to be relieved of his PP coaching duties (cough, cough, ILWT, cough) and it’s hard to argue with them.

Zach Parise

Hopefully, the Devils will continue beating on the weaker teams and make the playoffs.  Considering their financial status, the bonus money (tickets , concessions, etc.) provided by two (or, fingers crossed, more than two) home playoff games would mean a lot to the franchise.

The Devils continue their longest home stand of the season (6 games, they’re 1-3 so far) with a shoot out loss against the Sabres Tuesday, ugh.  If you’re local, you should get to The Rock –  these may be the last chances to see Zach Parise in a red and black sweater.”

Brian looks good in any color sweater so follow him on twitter: @trot71

“I haven’t written in a while.  I tried to write a couple of posts but have been waylaid by a busy schedule.  And also by how incredibly frustrating the Devils have been to watch.

After Tuesday’s overtime win over the Leafs, the Devils sit at 13-12-1, tied for 11th in the Eastern Conference, two points out of the final playoff spot, which is currently occupied by the Devils’ next opponent, the Ottawa Senators.  (And yes, I totally had to double-check that.)

Most teams have off nights, or display a sort of Jekyll-and-Hyde nature from game to game.  These Devils change their personality and play level from period to period.  There’s usually at least one period per game where the Devils are on fire, playing with speed, establishing a strong forecheck and creating chances off the rush.

Hand in hand with that is a period of passivity, where they let their opponents dictate the play, take lazy penalties, and look like garbage if they go on the power play.

I’ve grown fond of Coach Pete DeBoer from MCB Hawaii (and his propensity for matchy-matchy shirts and ties), but he needs to find some consistency with this group soon or the Devils might be out of the playoffs again.

So, heading into the Ottawa game, here’s some Good/Bad…

GOOD: The PK unit.  Actually, “Good” doesn’t suffice.  The Devils have been near-perfect when down a man this season.  They’re currently killing at a 94.7% rate.  The Devils are only -2 on the PK (5 PPGA, 3SHGF).  That’s crazy good.

BAD: The PP unit.

This isn’t entirely fair, since they scored twice on the power play in Toronto.  (However, a quick straw poll around the PB news desk thinks our house team could score on the Leafs’ penalty killers, so it’s no great feat).

The power play unit isn’t the worst in the league in efficiency, but at only +6  (13PPGF, 7SHGA) this is a unit that has to improve.

There’s too much offensive talent on the ice.

Travis Zajac

GOOD: Travis Zajac is back in practice.  The Devils’ top center, out all season after surgery to repair his Achilles tendon, is back skating with the team.  His return hasn’t been set yet, but I expect him back some time around Christmas.

How this will shake things up is anybody’s guess.

Henrique and Elias are the team’s two top scorers, so it’s tough to imagine DeBoer moving either, but something will have to give to accommodate Zajac.

BAD: Adam Larsson’s is showing his age.

He was flat-out used on Frattin’s goal in Toronto, and he’s been making one or two glaring errors a game.

That said, he’s got six points in his last nine games (1G, 5A) and this is all a part of his growth process.

The Devils will be rewarded in the long run for these missteps now.

After a four game road trip, the Devils are home tomorrow for the Ottawa Senators.

Looking ahead, I’m excited for next Friday’s game against the Dallas Stars.

Scott Niedermayer’s set to have his number retired, and I will be there for it!”

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“Yes.” “Exactly.” “More of that please.”  These are things Coach Pete DeBoer likely said during and after the Devils’ impressive 3-0 win in Los Angeles Tuesday night.

DeBoer did some line juggling in advance of this game and, despite only getting goals from one line, all four lines played very well in shutting out the Kings.   The Devils were outshot in the game (31-23), but had more than twice the scoring chances (SBNation has it at 17-7).

Zach Parise

This is the kind of sixty-minute effort that was lacking in the early going last season (really, all of last season). 

There were never more than two or three shifts in a row where the Devils were outplayed or outworked.  They had their forecheck going for a good portion of the night, creating second chances for each other and disrupting the Kings’ ability to get their offense started. 

Sure, they didn’t score, but the Parise-centering-Kovalchuk experiment looked very good last night.  They had lots of chances, lots of quality passing between the two and Parise more than held his own on faceoffs.

Given that, something has to be done about Palmieri.  His play was bad enough when he was wasting the services of one of the two best players on the team. 

Now that Parise’s been added to the line, he’s dragging down both of the Devils’ best players (and probably two of the top fifteen forwards in the league). 

His hands are awful; he consistently loses possession when the puck is passed to him.  It’s disturbing to see a team start the cycle so well, only to have Palmieri fail to keep it going. 

He’s not an intimidating presence, and it’s not as though Kovy or Parise are the types to be pushed around on the ice and require a large body with them anyway.  I’m loathe to move Zubrus away from Elias, but maybe move somebody like Tedenby up? 

Mattias Tedenby

Tedenby has proven he’s capable of working in traffic, and he’s definitely fast enough to keep up with the other two.  We shall see. 

I expect something to change on that line soon, and I’m trusting DeBoer will do the right thing.  He hasn’t let me down yet.
Moose Hedberg had a strong game, bouncing back from a subpar outing in Pittsburgh over the weekend.  He didn’t face many tough shots, but he stopped them all and did a good job controlling his rebounds.

The Devils continue their road trip on Thursday in Phoenix.  The Coyotes (3-3-2, 4th in Pacific), have dropped their last three home games, including an eight-round shootout loss to the Stars last night.

Some Other Thoughts:

Interesting to see that Andy Greene (2A, +3) had his best game of the season in his first game paired with Mark Fayne.  His old partner, rookie Adam Larsson, was paired with fellow Swede Henrik Tallinder.  My guess is that the new pairings stick for some time (assuming Larsson isn’t returned to juniors after his ninth game). 

Zubrus

Dainus Zubrus (2G, +3) is clearly happy to be playing on a line with Patrik Elias again.  Even taking a Simon Gagne shot to the face in the first period wasn’t enough to sour his game.  

I don’t think he missed a shift and was voted the game’s #1 star.  Nice comeback.  Very nice games for Elias (1G 1A +3) and Sykora (2A +3), too.  Sykora overcame an illness that made him miss the morning skate.

Henrique

Adam Henrique played like he belongs in the NHL last night.  Centering a line with Clarkson and Tedenby, he played very strong game, especially considering the strength of the Kings’ blue line and centers. 

He had several strong plays on the puck, and could easily have had a goal.

The Devils attempted an awful lot of wraparounds in the game, particularly in the first two periods.  I don’t know if it was just that the opportunities were more readily available or if it was something they picked up off a scouting report about the Kings or Bernier, but it seemed a touch out of character.  I liked it, caused a lot of disruption in front of the net.

The Kings are no doubt happy to be done with the Devils for the year.  They’re 0-1-1 against the Devs, but 5-1-0 against everyone else.  Is there a more fun name to say in hockey than “Anze Kopitar”?  Must be nice to be the Kings’ PA announcer.

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Anyone who follows the New Jersey Devils knows Ken Daneyko. 

Dano was the second draft pick in team history (1982 Draft, First Round, 18th overall) and went on to play in the NHL for 20 seasons, all with the New Jersey Devils. He retired after winning his third Stanley Cup in 2003. 

Dano’s grit and hard-nosed game, along with his dedication to the team, earned him the nickname “Mr. Devil”.  His #3 jersey was retired in 2006. Nowadays, Daneyko appears on MSG (a New York area sports network) as an analyst during Devils’ games (pre- and post-game as well as between periods) as well as a panelist on MSG’s weekly roundtable program, “Hockey Night Live.”

When not on camera, Ken involves himself in many local charities, including hosting The Ken Daneyko Golf Classic supporting The Center for Great Expectations. 

After the jump, the interview.

Brian: The Devils have five days between games this week.  When you had that long a stretch between games, how’d you fill the non-practice time?  Do the players nowadays do the same?

Ken: Nothing really different than any off day. We would have practice and then time to spend with the family. Pretty sure it is the same today.

Brian: By starting Johan Hedberg in the season’s second game, Coach DeBoer seemed to say that he was reducing Brodeur’s workload this season.  Now Brodeur is out a week rehabbing his shoulder.  How many games do you think Brodeur starts this season?  He’s always seemed to thrive on the big workload.  Do you think it’s good for him (and the team) that he’s getting more rest?

Ken: I absolutely think it is good for him to get more rest this season. With 2 veteran goaltenders and one as good as Hedberg, it gives you the luxury of resting Marty. With the pace of the game these days and Marty’s age, your backup goaltender has to play much more in my opinion. I think Marty is at the point in his career that he understands that.
 
Brian: Kovalchuk’s playing a lot of minutes (partly due to the Devils playing in several overtime games, but mostly because he’s double-shifting a ton) – can he keep this 27 minute/game pace up?

Ken: I don’t think he is going to play 27 plus minutes all season long; however he is a horse and very capable of logging top minutes for most of the season.

With his talent level I believe you want him to play as much as his body allows. That will be monitored by Coach Deboer.

Brian: There’s been a lot of buzz around Adam Larsson – the Devils haven’t had that high a pick in the draft since Niedermayer in ’91.  DeBoer’s kept him off the PK to try to limit the amount the 18 year-old has on the ice.  How do you think Larsson’s handling things, on and off the ice?

Ken: I think he is handling things as well as can be expected from an 18-year-old. He is mature beyond his years and understands the game so well that he is capable of playing in all situations.

He will go through some tough times as all young defensemen do, but its part of the process in developing.

Brian: With the NBA locked out most likely until the New Year, what do you think the NHL is doing (or should be doing) to fill the sports vacuum?  It’s great that Versus is showing more games this year, but is there something more?  (If I could find a Nets fan, I’d take them to a Devils game…)

Ken: I think the NHL is doing a terrific job of televising more games to promote the game.

If the NBA stays out for an extended period and both teams are playing in the same arena, I would absolutely extend invitations to NBA season ticket holders to check out how wonderful a game hockey is, if they are not fans already.

Brian: There’s a code among players regarding things that are said in the locker room.  Does that extend to things said on ice?  Was Sean Avery doing something taboo by seeking out the media after the Simmonds altercation?  And do you think racial and sexual slurs are less prevalent on the ice today than they were in your playing days?

Ken: Do I think there is a code to what is said amongst players? To some extent yes. However with so many different personalities, there is always going to be the exception and that is something you cannot control.

I do think the racial slurs are less prevalent today because players are more cautious due the fact that there are so many more media outlets. For example, Twitter, Facebook and You Tube, etc. Because these issues are more sensitive in this era.

Brian: When on the set of MSG’s Hockey Night Live, do you hold it over Ron Duguay that you outlasted him in the first season of Battle of the Blades?

Ken: I think he was ribbed from some of his other friends. Not really my style to gloat.

Duguay is a good friend and it was a fun experience and extremely challenging. I have a deeper respect for figure skating and how tough it is. Donating to our favorite charities was what is was all about.

-The Kings host the Devils Tuesday evening, and Ken can be seen during Devils’ telecasts on MSG and on “Hockey Night Live” on Saturday nights. Follow Ken on Twitter @KenDaneykoMSG.

And Mr. Devil insists that you follow Brian on Twitter: @trot71