N.J. Devils: Back in Playoffs After Five Year Absence

From the desk of:  THE BRICK CITY STYX

44-28-9 (97-points)

SATURDAY

New Jersey Devils

vs.

Washington Capitals

FROM

Government City

New Jersey Devils: Newark Back In Playoffs For First Time Since 2012.

Nine games and 17 points later, Taylor Hall's consecutive point streak was snapped Thursday evening at the Rock.  However, that makes him no less responsible for helping lead the New Jersey Devils back to the playoffs after a five year absence.  A top league MVP candidate, this will also be Taylor Hall's first ever Stanley Cup tournament appearance in his eight year career.

Not ironically, the Devils clinching victory occurred against Lou Lamoriello's Toronto Maple Leafs. Newark last qualified for the playoffs during his tenure.  The Devils this season exceeded forty victories for the first time since 2012, when they won 48 games under Lamoriello and captured the Eastern Conference title.

Last year, the Devils finished with a 28-40-14 record.  In just his third season as Devils general manager, Ray Shero has them back in the tournament.  The Devils he constructed stormed to the finish, going 11-3-1 in their last 15 games.

N.J. Devils: Where The Wild Teams Are

From the desk of:  THE BRICK CITY STYX

Home Sweet Home

New Jersey Devils: A Triumphant Return To The Rock.

Catch your breath Devils fans.  This is your last two-day break in the regular season.

Starting Tuesday, they'll have thirteen days left with which to squeeze in their final seven games of the season.  That means they'll be playing every other night from here on out, including a back-to-back set at the turn of the month.

All this leaves little time for reflecting upon their team's achievements to date.  When in truth, they have already embarked on something special.  The rebuilding Devils finished last season with 70 points, and weren't expected to be much better entering this season.  Player development was supposed to be their primary focus.  But a funny thing happened on the way to Spring.  They won their 39th game of the season on Saturday, their most since 2011-2012 when they last qualified for post-season play.  They are also only two points shy of matching their 88 points of 2013-2014.  The last Devils team to achieve ninety points in a season were, again, the 2011-2012 Stanley Cup contenders.  Therefore, with regard to the rest of this season the only lingering question is how far can these young new breed demons take this?

After jumping out to an 8-2-0 start in October, they were still 22-10-6 by New Year's Eve.  However, a 3-6-2 record through the dog days of January suggested the time had arrived for Newark to finally find its true level in this year's standings.  Instead, the Devils regrouped to post an 8-6-0 record in February.  They opened March with an overall 33-22-8 record, and are 6-6-0 to date.

But what a month it has been.  Only now are the Devils finally getting a breather after skating through a gauntlet of top Western Conference contenders, and having to play the defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins and the Eastern Conference top seed Tampa Bay Lightning on back-to-back nights.  And they damn near defeated them all.  After consecutive victories at Nashville, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles, they sustained humbling back-to-back losses at Anaheim and San Jose.  On their way back east, the Devils stopped off in Pittsburgh where they defeated the Penguins in overtime on Friday.  Then, after seventeen days away from the Rock, they finally returned home and short circuited the Lightning on short rest.

With 86 points, Newark leads ninth place Florida by three points, but with nine games left on their schedule the Panthers have two games in hand.  And so if the Devils are to stave off Florida, they must open and maintain at least a four point lead before they're done.  Their season ends on April 7, while the Panthers close out their season a day later.

DEVILS

• Home (5): Penguins, Maple Leafs, Rangers, Islanders, Hurricanes.
• Away (2): Capitals, Canadiens.

PANTHERS

• Home (4): Bruins, Predators, Hurricanes, Sabres.
• Away (5); Bruins(2), Maple Leafs, Islanders, Senators.

In any event, this much is clear: The New Jersey Devils are back on top of the three-team NYC metropolitan area division.

They have the best head coach (John Hynes) of the three teams.  And until Jeff Gorton's rebuild at MSG garners similar results, Ray Shero is arguably the better general manager (Garth Snow is easily last).  The Islanders John Tavares is the best center in town, but for how much longer?  Okay, the Isles also have Mathew Barzal.  Otherwise, rookie Nico Hischier is neck and neck in points with the more experienced NYR top center Mika Zibanejad.

Just saying ...

N.J. Devils: Let The Madness Begin

From the desk of:  THE BRICK CITY STYX

STAND or FALL

TUESDAY

Devils       3

Penguins  2

Look what Newark did to the Penguins ... again!

Sidney Crosby opened Tuesday night's scoring 8:17 into the first period with his 21st goal of the season.  Four minutes later, Kyle Palmieri answered right back.  Taylor Hall and Pittsburgh's Matt Hunwick traded goals in the second period.  Stefan Noesen then gave New Jersey a 3-2 lead at the 5:01 mark of the third.  That's the way things would stay - barely - thanks to some traffic management in the crease by Andy Greene, and a pair of huge saves by Keith Kincaid with under twenty seconds left in regulation.

It was Newark's second victory over the Penguins this season in as many games.


New Jersey Devils: Ray Shero Ringing Hell's Bells.

On Feb. 19 of last season, all hell broke loose in Newark.

The Devils had beaten the Islanders the previous night, improving their record to 25-23-10 with 24 games left in the season.  But the Islanders struck back with a victory the very next night at Barclays Center.

That Devils loss was the first of what turned into a ten game losing streak.  By the Ides of March they had fallen to 25-31-12, after which, they closed out the season with another 11 losses over their final 14 games.

One year later, the Devils are 33-22-8 (74 points), and presently occupy seventh place in the Eastern Conference standings.

General manager Ray Shero thought enough of this team to warrant the acquisitions of forwards Michael Grabner from the Rangers, and Patrick Maroon from Edmonton.  Grabner adds scoring and good two-way play, while Maroon (6'3" 225 lbs.) brings much needed grit and toughness.  Both will be unrestricted free agents come summer, but are nonetheless great rentals that will no doubt impact the Devils final push.

That being said, it's March.  Less than 20 games now remain in the regular season.  A spot in the Stanley Cup playoffs is theirs to lose. 

Let the madness begin!

To date, the Devils are 13-14-2 overall against the other 15 playoff contenders.  Twelve of the their final 19 games are against this group.  They otherwise have games remaining against Florida, Carolina, Montreal, the Islanders, and Rangers.

They are 9-9-2 against the other seven Eastern Conference contenders, with games remaining against Tampa, Toronto, Washington, and two against Pittsburgh.

They're 4-5-0 against Western Conference playoff contenders, with games remaining against Nashville, Winnipeg, San Jose, Los Angeles, Anaheim, and two against Las Vegas.

From March 10 through the 23rd, the Devils will attempt to cross their Rubicon - six straight road games against Nashville, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Anaheim, San Jose, and Pittsburgh.

N.J. Devils: Eddie Lack Short Circuits Tampa Bay Lightning

From the desk of:  THE BRICK CITY STYX

FINAL

Devils       4

Lightning  3

New Jersey Devils: Look what Newark did to the Tampa Bay Lightning ... again!

The Devils were cruising along with a 22-9-6 record at the time of their Dec. 29 victory over Buffalo.

On Dec. 30, general manager Ray Shero quietly acquired goalie Eddie Lack from the Calgary Flames in exchange for expendable blue-liner Dalton Prout.  At the time of the trade, starting goalie Cory Schneider nor back-up Keith Kincaid had yet experienced their respective groin injuries still to come.  Although Kincaid recovered and continues making starts, Schneider remains sidelined.  On Saturday against the Lightning at Tampa, Eddie Lack rewarded Shero with a very timely and rather heroic effort against one of the league's elite.

Playing in only his third game with the Devils, the opposing Eastern Conference leaders pelted Eddie Lack with 51 shots on goal.  New Jersey mistakes additionally afforded Tampa six power play opportunities.  But despite the Lightning converting twice on the man advantage, Eddie Lack otherwise short circuited the Bolts best efforts by making 48 saves against the league's top scoring team.

The Devils and Bolts traded goals in the first.  Ben Lovejoy opened the scoring just 2:49 into the game.  Despite a quick tying goal by Tampa, the Devils closed out the period with furious action in the Lightning zone.  New Jersey then fell behind only 2:47 into the second session, but Devils rookie Nico Hischier would answer back a mere 36-seconds later.  Pavel Zacha then put the Devils ahead again a little over three minutes later.

The early scoring trend continued in the third.  Newark's Miles Wood scored his 16th goal of the season just 1:24 into the session.  Within minutes, though, Steven Stamkos got the Lightning within one again with a power play goal at the 5:15 mark.  But Tampa would get no closer despite launching one last assault in the closing minutes.

What these young New Jersey Devils essentially did Saturday was prove their first meeting against Tampa, in which they outlasted the Bolts 5-4 in a shootout way back in October, was no fluke.

At 30-20-8 (66-points) the Devils wake up this morning tied with the Flyers for fifth in the Eastern Conference standings.

Twenty-four games remain in the regular season.  Today, they play the Carolina Hurricanes whom enter the game tied with Columbus, both one point behind the New York Islanders for the second Wild Card spot.

N.J. Devils: Adam Henrique Traded For Anaheim Blue Liner Sami Vatanen

From the desk of:  THE BRICK CITY STYX

Play of centermen Hischier and Gibbons 

allows Ray Shero to shore-up defense.

New Jersey Devils: Ray Shero Acquires Defenseman Sami Vatanen From Anaheim Ducks In Exchange For Crowd Favorite Adam Henrique.

Savvy transaction by general manager Ray Shero - center Adam Henrique and winger Joseph Blandisi are heading to the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for defenseman Sami Vatanen.

I'm sure Devils fans were just as surprised upon hearing about the trade as Henrique was reported to be.  Adam, a team alternate captain who turns 28-years old in February, played six full seasons in a Devils uniform after being selected by Newark in the third round of the 2008 entry draft.  He posted a career high 30 goals and 50 points just two seasons ago. 

His departure leaves team captain Andy Greene, and Travis Zajac, as the last two remaining members of the Devils 2011-12 playoff team.  Newark has not qualified for the playoffs since.

Despite losing Kyle Palmieri (foot) for six weeks, the emergence of last year's number one overall selection, Nico Hischier, and the return to the ice of center Travis Zajac, arguably rendered Adam Henrique somewhat expendable.  Newark has been getting good efforts up the middle.  Hischier has five goals and 18 points through 24 games thus far, while Brian Gibbons has netted a team leading 11 goals (15 points).  Overall, the Devils are currently ninth in the league in scoring, while Henrique has only accounted for four goals (and ten assists) in 24 games.

Joseph Blandini has split time between Newark and Binghamton over the last two seasons.  As part of the deal, the Devils will also send their 2018 third round pick to Anaheim.  If the Ducks are able to re-sign Henrique, the Devils will receive Anaheim's 2019 third round pick.

In return, the Devils receive 26-year old Sami Vatanen, considered a top-four defenseman.  New Jersey is currently 17th in goals against.  Vatanen is someone Ray Shero believes can add an offensive element from the blue line.  Anaheim's fourth round selection of the 2009 entry draft, Sami Vatanen posted a career high 12 goals in 2014-15, and a career high 29 assists and 38 points the following season.  He owns a career +22 with 126 points over 280 games played.

The move comes on the heels of Newark's Nov. 12 setback, with defenseman Mirco Mueller suffering a broken clavicle.  He underwent surgery, and is not expected back until February.  Ray Shero acquired Mueller during the off-season from San Jose in exchange for the Devils 2017 second and fourth round picks.

The Devils have spent much of the first-quarter regular season in first place, but have slipped of late.  After jumping out to an 8-2-0 record in October, they stumbled to a 6-4-4 mark in November, highlighted by four straight loses against Calgary, St. Louis, and a pair against Edmonton.

New Jersey and the New York Islanders are presently tied for second place in the Metropolitan Division with 32 points, one point behind the leading Columbus Blue Jackets.

N.J. Devils: Look Who's Number One

From the desk of:  THE BRICK CITY STYX

Newark Youth Gone Wild

NEW JERSEY DEVILS: Naysayers Be Damned..!

If you didn't know, the rebuilding New Jersey Devils are off to their best start in franchise history.

With Wednesday evening's 2-0 whitewashing of the Canucks in Vancouver, the Devils remain unbeaten through five games on the road, and improved to 9-2-0 overall.

For the moment, they lead the Metropolitan Division by a point over the Pittsburgh Penguins, while their 18 points are second in the Eastern Conference behind the Tampa Bay Lightning.

This all somewhat unexpected, but not that far fetched.

The Devils went 28-40-14 last season, which earned them the number one overall pick in the 2017 entry draft.  The real question is how far away were they away from converting some of last year's 14 overtime losses, which ranked third most in the league?

Between Oct. 17 through the 27th, three of the Devils four games exceeded regulation time.  They emerged victorious in a shoot-out victory over Tampa Bay, then defeated Ottawa two nights later in overtime.  After falling 3-0 to the San Jose Sharks, the Devils took the rematch over the Senators, winning 5-4 in their second shoot-out of the season.

The Devils are presently fifth in the league in scoring.  Their +11 goal differential is likewise second only to Tampa in the conference, and fourth best in the league.

Perhaps, that's the part no one saw coming.

For the moment, all eyes are on 19-year old Jesper Bratt.  The 162nd overall selection in the 2016 draft, the Devils rookie winger has ten points (4 goals, 6 assists) in his first 11 games.

As the number one overall pick of the 2010 draft, Edmonton Oilers fans might have felt shortchanged by winger Taylor Hall, who perhaps did leave something to be desired.  Now in his second season with New Jersey, though, he presently leads the Devils with 15 points.

Circling back to New Jersey's number one overall pick ... centerman Nico Hischier has a pair of goals and five assists in 11 games.  Center Adam Henrique, meanwhile, could possibly be heading towards his first career 60 point season.  And, no, I have no explanation for Brian Gibbons' team leading five goals.

However, I do know defense is really leading the New Jersey Devils' way.  Their 31 goals against are presently second fewest in the conference.

Drafted by Ray Shero in the second round of the 2012 entry draft, and now entering his fourth season, 23-year old Damon Severson is listed at 6'2", 205 lbs.  Shero then selected Steven Santini in the second round of the 2013 draft.  He is 22-years old, similarly listed at 6"2", and 205lbs., and now working full-time after appearing in 38 games last season.

In June of this year, Shero traded the Devils second and fourth round picks to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for Mirco Mueller and a fifth round pick.  He is 22-years old, and listed at a somewhat larger 6'3", 210lbs.  In August, Shero then signed 22-year old Will Butcher to an entry level deal.  Somewhat smallish by comparison, he more closely resembles Andy Greene, listed at 5'10", and 199lbs.  Yet, he is second on the Devils with 11 assists so far this season, with seven coming on the power play.

Otherwise, Newark's blueliners come replete with stabilizing veterans.  Senior Devil Andy Greene is now in his 12th season with the club.  Signed as a free agent, the locally familiar John Moore was one of Ray Shero's first transactions after taking over for Lou Lamoriello as general manager.  Moore, listed at 6'3" 200lbs., posted a career high 10 goals, and 22 points last season.  Ben Lovejoy, now in year two of a three-year free agent deal, also brought size (6'1", 205lbs.) and Stanley Cup experience to the fold.

Surely, then, early season victories against Colorado, Toronto, the New York Rangers, Tampa Bay, Ottawa, and Vancouver, must count for something.

Have some courtesy ... give John Hynes and the Devils their due.