Brian Gionta is one of the few players on the Devils not bringing the team down.

Where Are The “Old” Jersey Devils?

The New Jersey Devils dynasty that locked up three Stanley Cups over eight years is slowly fading this season, though their play over the past week would have you thinking otherwise.

After failing to bring back Scott Gomez and Brian Rafalski, leaving the “EGG” line broken and their defence empty, Martin Brodeur has been hung out to dry, putting up numbers more fitting of a backup. With the new Prudential Center in Newark, the Devils have tried to leave their horrible attendance and poor facility in East Rutherford, but it seems they forgot their winning ways in the old building.

As of today, New Jersey sits in fourth place in the Atlantic with 24 points in 23 games, behind both New York clubs and Philadelphia. Their 11-10-2 record has stranded them at eighth in the conference and if not for the current four game winning streak they have pieced together, the Devils might be fighting with Toronto and Washington to stay out of the basement.

New Jersey is scoring an average of 2.43 goals per game (25th in the NHL), which might have something to do with their power play (21st) that is only converting goals 14.9% of the time.

Zach Parise is having his best season to date with 22 points (8-14) followed by a normal Brian Gionta (7-8-15). The most shocking of statistics might come from the third and fourth leading scorers on the team though who are John Madden (6-7-13) and Jay Pandolfo (8-5-13), two players known for the defensive style and penalty killing specialty.  Down on the list behind Dainius Zubrus and Travis Zajac is Patrik Eliáš who has tallied only 11 points (4-7) and a -6 rating in 21 games, a possible result of the loss of Gomez to the rival Rangers.

Though he started the season extremely slow, Brodeur’s personal stats have begun to take shape (2.44 GAA, .906 SV%) aside from 9-10 record in 20 games. The one number that does stick out like a sore thumb to Marty is the one shutout leaving him the dust among league goaltenders, a stat he usually dominates.

A chance to miss the playoffs for the first time since the 1995-96 season is at stake for Coach Brent Sutter’s club this season and it would not surprise anyone if Lou Lamoriello stepped in once again to dethrone Sutter for the stretch run in March like he has in previous seasons to other coaches.

It seems weird to think of the NHL postseason without the New Jersey Devils in it, but unless they can take care of the basics and find some chemistry among their top forwards, it will be a disappointing spring and summer for Devils’ fans. Do not be surprised to see Lamoriello land a marquee name, preferably a defenceman at the trade deadline, to assure that his club is prepared for a tight playoff race.

Around the League

Suddenly the Northwest is looking the way everyone thought it would with four teams in the thick of things, however who would have though Vancouver would be sitting atop the division only a few weeks after their horrific start.

A 7-1-2 record in the last ten games for Dallas has given them a two point cushion over Anaheim in the Pacific, but don’t expect either of those teams or San Jose to run away with the lead in what should be a very competitive winter on the west coast.

The Maple Leafs seem to find a new way to lose every night as they disgrace the history behind their franchise. The only thing good the Leafs have going for them is the fact that they are tied with Buffalo last year’s Eastern Conference runner up for last in the Northeast.

I thought the Penguins would create a dynasty similar to the Oilers and Islanders of the past with the young superstars and phenoms on the team, but sitting at the bottom of the Atlantic is no way to try to win a championship.

The Capitals need to do something drastic to get back into things in the Southeast before their organization makes a turn for the worst. Having a 3-7-0 record at home probably is not the answer.