N.J. Devils: Hail Patrik and Hello Grabner Night at the Rock

From the desk of:  THE BRICK CITY STYX

PATRIK ELIAS

1995 ~ 2016

New Jersey Devils All-Time Leading Scorer

1,240 Games ~ 408 Goals ~ 617 Assists ~ 1,025 Points

Two-Time Stanley Cup Champion

NEW JERSEY DEVILS: Patrik Elias Jersey Joins Those of Scott Stevens, Ken Daneyko, Martin Brodeur, and Scott Niedermayer in the Prudential Center Rafters.

Tonight, Newark celebrates the twenty-year career of New Jersey Devils left winger Patrik Elias.

His jersey featuring number 26 is being hoisted up to the rafters this evening alongside those of Devils greats Scott Stevens, Ken Daneyko, Martin Brodeur, and Scott Niedermayer.

Elias is the club's all-time scoring leader.  He and Daneyko are the only two of the five to have played their entire careers solely in a Devils uniform.

A durable and great two way forward, Elias scored at least 20 goals in a season ten times and topped 30 goals four times.  In 2000-2001, he netted a career high 40 goals, and registered an NHL best plus/forty-five.

With a centering pass from the right corner, Elias assisted on Jason Arnott's Stanley Cup clinching goal in double-overtime of Game Six against the Dallas Stars.

TONIGHT

New York Islanders

vs.

New Jersey Devils

FROM

THE ROCK

NEWARK

Michael Grabner sure does know his way around the metropolitan area.  Once they drop the puck this evening at Newark, and his skates touch ice, Grabner will officially become the eleventh person to ever play for all three local hockey clubs.

Led by Taylor Hall, the young New Jersey Devils have spent the regular season defying expectations.  With a 31-22-8 record and 70 points to date, Newark enters tonight's action in seventh place of the conference standings - five points ahead of the Columbus Blue Jackets and New York Islanders, both of whom are tied for eighth place with 65 points.  

Now with the acquisition of Michael Grabner, they seem to have all but silenced any lingering questions regarding their staying power.

Famous last words ...

Grabner, 30, is a good two-way player who was leading the Rangers with 25 goals and a plus-eleven through 59 games played.  Last season, he scored 27 goals in 76 games for the Rangers.  General manager Ray Shero sent the Rangers a second round draft pick and 20-year old defensive prospect Yegor Rykov in return.  Even if Grabner (a potential unrestricted free agent) only turns out being a springtime rental, it is a worthy price to pay.  

He will reportedly be lining up with Travis Zajac and Pavel Zacha.

It doesn't matter where they stick him.  This is a fine acquisition.

And who knows - being that Grabner is so familiar with the area, he just might give the Devils a required home town discount for sake of potentially fitting into their future plans.

This will be the Devils fifteenth straight game without starting goalie Cory Schneider - out since Jan. 23 with a groin injury.  The Devils have gone 7-7-0 in his absence.  Keith Kinkaid has made ten starts in his place; Eddie Lack has started three games; and Ken Appleby one start.

The streaky Devils enter this evening's game fresh off two straight home losses against the Columbus Blue Jackets and Minnesota Wild.

NEW YORK ISLANDERS: Josh Bailey's Six Year, $30 Million Dollar Contract Extension Better Mean John Tavares' Deal Is Next.

There's no way the Islanders would open a new arena at Belmont Park without him, right?

At least Bailey's deal is a sign of life.  People were beginning to wonder if Garth Snow was actually showing up for work.

Now how about getting on the phones and try shoring up this defense by the deadline, huh?  The team is fourth in the league in scoring for Lord Stanley's sake ... yet are near last in the league in goals against and the penalty kill.

Like the Devils, the more desperate Islanders are trying to snap a two game skid.

Devils fall to Rangers in season's first Battle of the Hudson

From the desks of:  

RAISE GRESCH WITH THE GREATS  &  BRICK CITY DEMONS

BATTLE OF THE HUDSON

Game One Final

Rangers   4

Devils       3

overtime

New Jersey Devils: Life After Marty....

Life after Martin Brodeur has begun in Newark.

With Cory Schneider in net, the Devils opened the season with 3 straight victories.  But after last night's O.T. loss to the Rangers, the Devils have now dropped 3 straight.

As a result, the Devils have slipped behind the Islanders and Rangers in the local area standings.

Islanders   4-2-0   8 pts.

Rangers    4-3-0   8 pts.

Devils       3-2-1   7 pts.

The Devils goalie for most of the last 21 seasons, Martin Brodeur is stuck at 688 career victories - just 12 away from an increasingly elusive 700, but with no team to play for.  He is yet to strike a deal with any team, and none seem to be beating down his door for an autograph either.

The latest rumors have Brodeur connected with Colorado.  That would be something, huh? - if Brodeur wound up playing for Patrick Roy (the goalie whose record he broke).

Jaromir Jagr will turn 43-years old in February.  Last season, he played in 82 games for the Devils, averaged 19:10 minutes per game, and scored 24 goals - his most since the 2007-08 season with the Rangers.

Tuesday night against the Rangers, Jagr scored his first goal of the season, and the 707th goal of his career.  He is presently 7th on the NHL all-time list.  Old Rangers favorite Mike Gartner is next at #6 with 708 career goals.  Within potential reach this season, are #5-Phil Esposito (717) and #4-Marcel Dionne (731).

And then there was one....

When the Devils originally came to town in 1982-83, I was 16-yrs old, and all my (Rangers fan) hatred was already directed towards the Islanders.  So, by the Devils arrival, my attention was piqued more than anything.

The Kansas City Scouts and Colorado Rockies failed, which of course opened the door for Mr. John McMullen to buy the franchise and relocate them.

At the time, the Nets were only recently resettled into the Brendan Byrne Arena, the New Jersey Generals (USFL) were kicking off, and the New York Cosmos were immensely popular.  So, it was perhaps a good time to blend into the Meadowlands and greater metropolitan area sports scene.  I merely felt that a big sports metropolis was just getting bigger.

I came to appreciate guys like Pat Verbeek, Brendan Shanahan, Bruce Driver, John MacLean, Kirk Muller, a rookie named Ken Daneyko, then Peter Stastny.

Had the Devils defeated the Rangers in the 1994 conference finals, and not the other way around, I'm sure I would feel very differently about New Jersey's team today.  For instance, my son's hatred is primarily directed at the Devils, and less so towards the Islanders. That's understandable considering both team's respective histories ever since the Isles last competed for the Cup.

The Rangers won the Cup in 1994, and so I saw no harm in continuing to appreciate certain Devils players, and the overall success they enjoyed through 5 Stanley Cup appearances, and 3 Cup victories (just as long as they weren't playing the Rangers, because you can't be great, without great opponents).

Besides, with the Rangers, Devils and Islanders, it was just cool to be able to watch hockey (in general) every night.

The thing is, you just can not discount the Devils as some Mickey Mouse organization, as Wayne Gretzky once famously did.  And if you're a metropolitan area local of my age, then you watched their entire history (unlike the Islanders, whose earliest years escape my knowledgeable range).

Through those years, Martin Brodeur, Scott Stevens, MacLean, Daneyko, Scott Niedermeyer, and a few others held my respect.

Lou Lamoriello is easily among the greatest executives NY/NJ teams have ever known.  Scott Stevens is perhaps the toughest defensemen I ever saw play.  Martin Brodeur only become the NHL's all-time wins leader, while John MacLean initially set the organization's offensive records.

And then there was one....  

Patrick Elias is the man who broke John MacLean's club records, and continues to reset the organizational bar.  He is perhaps the last Devil I retain an interest for.  He may also be the last.  For me at least, what started with Pat Verbeek, may end once Patrick Elias retires.

Was I ever a Devils fan?  When they play the Islanders, sure.  Otherwise, no.  Regardless, my son is intolerant of whatever I call it.

Devils wins and losses have never, and do not factor in my life, or general disposition the way the Rangers/Giants/Mets can, and do.  

I'm just a guy who enjoys his surroundings.  Heck, I wish the Islanders were good again just to rekindle that rivalry, and elevate area hockey overall.

New York Rangers: Power Play Finally Lights The Lamp...

Yes, my team.

(sigh)

Just the opposite of the Devils, after losing 3 straight, the Rangers have won 3 in a row.  They entered Tuesday's game on the heels of an impressive 4-0 victory over the San Jose Sharks.

The Blueshirts scored 3 unanswered goals against the Devils to gain an (elusive) overtime victory.   Of course, that would not have been possible without Rick Nash's game tying goal in the 3rd period. It was his NHL leading 8th goal of the season.

The Rangers also finally scored on the power play - twice in fact, against the Devils.  They broke an 0 for 17 streak, and are now 2 for 20 on the young season.

Next stop, a true test against the Montreal Canadiens.

Derek Stepan has not skated yet.  Dan Girardi was back on the ice.

Mike

N.Y. Rangers ~ Devils; Battle of the Hudson - Part I

From the desk of:   RAISE GRESCH WITH THE GREATS

NEW YORK RANGERS:

Crisis Narrowly Averted Just in the "Last-Tick" of Time.

After a trip through the mid-west and to the Arizona desert where the Blueshirts played some good, bad, and at times ugly hockey along the way, the Rangers return to the metropolitan area to play an off-off-Broadway game against the Devils in Newark this Tuesday night at The Rock.



As for that last trip, the Rangers dropped a tightly contested 1-0 game to the Dallas Stars.  One singularly huge mistake on a defensive zone clearing/pass attempt cost the Rangers dearly.  It made me rethink what I said in my last post and if may have spoken too soon?  But I doubt it.  I believe this to be a very solidly built team.  I stand by everything I say.  They will suffer hiccups along the way like everyone else.  The Dallas game was well played.  We just came up short through fault of our own and I can live with that.  It's not like we had circles skated around us as was the case in game two of the road trip.



Case in point, loss number two in St. Louis is one we should probably bury deeply into our subconscious.  There weren't too many redeeming qualities about that 4-1 loss.  It wasn't necessarily poorly played.  It's just that the Blues out-everything'd us that game.  What stood out most to me was how much more physical they were than us.  This game was similar to the Toronto losses.  Battling for pucks is something the Rangers do very well.  But St. Louis did it better than us like many things this night.  If only...........



How long did you think I'd go before bringing Sean Avery into this discussion?  Because battling for pucks down low, and winning those battles, and great passing from behind the net, and playing defense, and fore-checking, and crashing the net, and knowing how to move without the puck, are Sean Avery's forte. 



So What Now?  What can possibly be the reason Coach Torts hasn't played Sean Avery in...three games is it?  Was it something he said?  Because I sure as hell didn't see anything he may have done; not on the ice at least.  What gives Coach?  We were just getting used to seeing him get some regular shifts during even strength.  Then...Poof!



*Sigh*



That leaves us to talk about the last game against the Coyotes in Phoenix.  It only took the Rangers 179:59 through three games to do it, but finally with just 0:1 left in regulation of a two all tie, a Brad Richards' backhand from the goalie's right circle found it's way through and lit the lamp just in time to give the Rangers a hard fought victory.   And after a review, they were finally awarded with two points - a resilient two points at that.  So much for being content with a tie and taking your chances in over-time.  That goal was good stuff and a hell of a way to salvage what was otherwise a Bad Trip...man.



Marian Gaborik; Mr. Comeback Season himself; scored the 300th goal of his career.  In fact, he scored two goals against Phoenix.  His 16th of the season came in the first period putting the Rangers ahead 1-0.  His 17th goal of the season tied the score at two apiece a little over a minute into the third period.



The score stayed that way until Brad Richards swatted a backhand towards net.  And in that fraction of a second, the Rangers gained a whole lot to smile about for the long flight back from Arizona.  In the 179:59 prior to that goal, not so much smiling.  .....And I want to give Marty Biron props for a job well done between the pipes.



That win propelled the Rangers into the forty point club.  Their forty points are actually tied for fourth in the conference with Pittsburgh.  In hot pursuit? - The New Jersey Devils with thirty-seven points.



Tuesday night is the first time the New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils will meet this season.  Game One in The Battle Of The Hudson takes place at The Rock in Brick City, New Jersey.



Of all teams, will Coach Torts finally allow Sean Avery to play against Marty Brodeur and the Devils?  Coach has to get him back in the line-up sometime.  After the Devils, the Rangers play host to the Islanders Thursday, then the Flyers Friday night.  That's three games in four nights.  Yes Coach, it's time to get Sean Avery back on the ice; especially against Philly.  The team is gonna need the fresh legs Coach.  And with all the injuries we're sustaining on the blue line, we need Avery's defensive tenacity and back-checking on the ice.



The first place Flyers (43 points) are now without Chris Pronger who's lost for the season.  So the timing is right to seize the moment and stake a claim on first place.  And without a doubt, Sean Avery can help get it done.  And the thing is..., Coach knows it too!

*    *    *    *    *

NEW JERSEY DEVILS:  Changing of the Guards.

#27

Scott Niedermayer

Scott Niedermayer was one of greatest clutch playoff performers I ever watched play.  Of course that has much to do with living in the area and getting Devils games on TV.  But in truth, while only spending eight years in a Devils' jersey, Niedermayer did so much for this franchise.  Say what you will about Marty Brodeur or any of the other Stanley Cup contributors, much of that success is not possible without this defenseman.  His #27 is very deserving indeed of being lifted up among the retired jerseys of fellow defensemen, Ken Daneyko, and Scott Stevens.  Congratulations to you.



Once he hangs up the pads, the next obvious member of the retired jerseys club will be Martin Brodeur.  He is already on record as saying he will decide when to step away before someone else makes that decision for him.  He says he's having fun this season.  And well, with the games he's missed, it's still rather early to tell if that happiness will translate into saves and wins.  Personally I feel Johan Hedberg is ready to step in as the full time goalie.  But Martin Brodeur is still a very capable goalie if A) - he stays healthy, and B) his overall number of starts are managed.  But you let the All-Time Career Wins and All-Time Shut-Outs Leader make the call when it's time to step away.  I suspect he'll retire after this season.  And I think Big Lou is crossing his fingers that he does.  Lou Lamoriello was always a proactive kind of guy.  So it would be nice to see these two, Martin Brodeur and the Devils, end their time together the right way.



Being that 'tis the season, the subject of Patrick Elias' jersey one day being lifted to the rafters also came up.  And the consensus is/was, eventually, Yes.  And why not; he's not only a life-long Devil, a Stanley Cup Champion; but now is also the organization's All-Time Goals Scored Leader breaking the mark held by former Devil great; John MacLean.  He tied and broke the record with two goals against the Montreal Canadiens this past Saturday in a 5-3 Devils win.  Franchise record breaking goal #348 was Patrick's 13th goal of the season.



But what of John MacLean?  I hope the time he spent here as Head Coach hasn't taken away from all the great years he spent as a Devils' forward.  And after all, it was his record Patrick Elias recently broke.  He grew with this organization in the days Wayne Gretzky was calling them a Mickey Mouse organization.  Then back in 1988, John MacLean scored the goal that clinched the organization's first ever playoff berth.  He was part of their first ever Stanley Cup Championship.  I ask Devil Fans, - If Patrick Elias is deserving, then isn't Johnny Mac just as much a consideration?



Of course this is Zach Parise's team now; a healthy Zach Parise that is.  And this is the team of Ilya Kovalchuk who appears to have joined the fold.  It took a season to bust the Russian bronco, but it appears he's ready to be a Devil now.  And of course, Patrick Elias is still, Patrick Elias.  The fact that the Devils are NOT stumbling their way through a historically bad start unlike last year at this time, should concern hockey fans who spend Christmas pondering their team's standings in April.  If you're not a Devils fan, than this is a team to be worried about.  That's not to say that can win a Cup.  But on a given night, they can mess you up.

TUESDAY NIGHT

BATTLE of the HUDSON

NEW YORK RANGERS

vs.

New Jersey Devils

From,

The Rock

BRICK CITY,  N.J.

Mike.BTB

N.J. Devils ~ Don't THRASH the Past

NEW JERSEY DEVILS:  If you're going to the game this afternoon, take a second and LOOK UP!

The Devils host the Atlanta Thrashers later this afternoon to finish their abysmal 2010 portion of the schedule in which they could only manage twenty points.  They have literally crash landed into last place in all the National Hockey League.  Even after the Devils released John MacLean from his duties and brought back Jacques LeMaire to see if he can correct what is wrong with this team, they have not yet shown an indication they will be relinquishing their last place status any time soon.


The New Year doesn't seem any more promising than the last three months.  I don't have the foggiest clue how to fix the Devils.  I'm not so sure it's fixable because this is part of the natural downward progression of a DYNASTY.

The next great night in Devils' history will be when they raise John MacLean's jersey to the rafters. 

But the Laws of Diminished Returns are dusting off the snow from their skates and are knocking at the Devil's Door.  The LAST great night in this Devils' Era may very well be the night they retire Martin Brodeur's number and raise his jersey aloft with those of Scott Stevens, Ken Daneyko and their three Stanley Cup Championship Banners.

The Last Great Days of Devils' Hockey will be what you can make out of watching Marty play out the season (or two) in the final days of his career as he tacks on perhaps a few more wins and shutouts along the way to finishing as the Best Ever in those respective categories.

We are watching the sad final gasps of a glorious Devilish Era coming to a most certain end.

Patrick Elias will be left behind to witness and suffer through the final crumbling of the Devils much like (METS Reference..) Jerry Koosman was left behind to pitch when the lights literally went out on the N.Y. Mets back in the Black-Out of 1977 after Tom Seaver was traded; ALONE.

There is no escaping the Salary 'Chuk HELL the Devs now find themselves in.  And there are no new "Lil Demons" coming up through the system.  That's the Devils' present.

In the near future, there is no last hurrah for Marty, Langenbrunner, Elias and LeMaire.  There will be no second shot at being a hero for Jason Arnott.  Zach Parise?  Sorry Bud...bad timing.

If you're going to the game this afternoon and find yourself getting "THRASHED" by Atlanta, look up, think back, and be grateful for a GREAT Run!

Somehow,  from parts out west, you guys moved into the most populous and crowded metropolitan area in the country and built an Empire that for the last twenty+ years, Be-Deviled everyone.

Hell never had it so Good.




Mike.BTB