One Down, A Lot More To Go

Last night's Devils victory, to me, felt magical.  There were so many positives to take from the game:

• Ilya Kovalchuk produced his first two-goal game as a NJ Devil.
• Martin Broduer was solid throughout the entire game, especially in the 3rd period, to record is 113th career shutout
• Brian Rolston, just hours after clearing through waivers, played a very strong and active game
• Patrik Elias was all over the ice
• Dainius Zubrus was a bull in the middle of the ice and made things happen
• Mattias Tedenby was very close, on a few occasions, to adding to his impressive, albeit small, rookie resume
• Anssi Salmela made his season debut and helped fortify the defense
• Special teams shone once again.  One power play goal and nothing allowed while shorthanded.

All good and great things.  However, when we all awoke this morning, there were two truths that were still rearing their ugly heads:

• The Devils are 18 points behind the two teams tied for the 8th and final playoff spot.
• To reach 88 points, the fewest points gained to make the playoffs in the shoot-out era, the Devils will have to finish the season 34-18.

Not easy.  But last night, it felt good.

Injuries Are a Pain

No, really, they are a pain.  I would know, I'm in the midst of some injuries now, but that's neither here nor there.

At the start of the Devils season, I, we, Devils Nation, we're all somewhat glad with the two injuries that hit the Devils roster.  Both Annsi Salmela and Bryce Salvador were hurt and because they were placed on the IR, the Devils had enough salary cap space to fill out the roster.  Great.

However, the damn injury bug kept biting.

Marty Brodeur (elbow), Zach Parise (knee), Jacob Josefson (thumb), Jamie Langenbrunner (neck), Brian Rolston, Matthew Corrente (upper body), Mark Fraser hand), Matt Taormina (ankle), and Anton Volchenkov all hurt at one point or another.  And of that list, only Rolston and Volchenkov are back!

Look, I'm sure in due time, and maybe even later this season after some more minor league season, that Stephen Gionta, Alexander Vasyunov, Olivier Mangan, and Mark Fayne will round out, gain some more skill and can help out.

But in the meantime, let's start getting our boys back and healthy.  Jamie should be back on Thursday night, but the rest are a toss up.  Just like the games, one at a time.

Starting to Get Our Money's Worth

Thank you, thank you, thank Ilya Kovalchuk.  You started the first ten minutes or so of your 2010-2011 season off beautifully; primary assists on the first two goals and helping the Devils stake out a 2-0 lead.  And then you disappeared for the rest of that game as well as the following two as the team got off to a poor, under-performing 0-2-1 start.  But thank you, thank you, thank you... Scoring your first goal of the season tonight was a beauty!  Excellent one timer from inside the right circle to help take the burden off your team, your rookie head coach, and most importantly, you!

We all know that you are great player Ilya, but because of your $100 million contract and the $3 million fine, and the two draft picks you have cost the Devils, as fans, we have the right to be impatient and want immediate results.  One goal in four games is not good enough.  So let's up that ratio, huh? How about one in every other game?  I think that's a fair wish.

Also, thank you, thank you, thank you to Mr. Martin Brodeur.  I don't want to say that I was ready to throw you under the bus and heavily start to think about our goaltending options for next season, but let's be real here, the season hasn't started off that great for you.  Hopefully tonight's shut out (career number 111, btw) is just the jump start you needed and now can be the defensive rock the team needs since it seems as if we will be playing a bit more offensive.

A bitter-sweet note from today, all with Brian Rolston leaving the active roster for the next four to six weeks due to hernia surgery.  But that's a good thing.  The salary cap now gets a $5 million lift and will allow Lou to bring up some young talent from Albany to fill out the roster so we can play some full strength games this season.

In the end, it all comes back to Mr. Kovalchuk and his wonder blast.  Thank you.

It's been a long summer

So it finally seems as if the longest, most in depth summer in Devils history is about to come to a close.  They open up their season tomorrow night against the Dallas Stars at the Prudential Center.

Once again the playoffs were an utter failure.  Second season in a row that they could not win a series and had to watch the final couple of rounds from home, or the golf course.  But then July 1st rolled around and anyone who follows the NHL knows that the Ilya Kovalchuk saga gripped the sport with an iron fist and only now may be letting go.  In the end, the Devils end up with arguably their greatest offensive weapon in franchise history, and that's all that matters.

Having a top line of Parise, Zajac and Kovalchuk can reek havoc on opposing defenses and goalies for the season.  But we all have to question how the third and fourth line, as well as the last defensive pairing, will shape up since Sweet Lou put the team in such a tight financial situation.

They'll be alright.  I'm confident of that.  Maybe a bit of a slow start to the season; rookie coach and all.  But when push comes to shove, just remember, who the goalie.  That's right, Mr. Martin Brodeur.  He's only missed the playoffs once since 1994.  That's a lot of success.  They'll be in the playoffs.  They'll be fighting for Lord Stanley's Cup.  But how deep will they go in that fight?  We'll find out come spring.

My guess?  Eastern Conference Finals.

I've seen a championship... Actually, 3 of them

Finally a team that has given me many more good moments than sour ones.  The New Jersey Devils franchise has been one of class, consistency, grace, and wins.  Early on in their existence there were more than a few people who though the team was nothing more than a joke; a rag doll for their neighbors on the other side of the Hudson.  But from 1994 until the present, no no.  That's just not the case.  Three Stanley Cups (1995, 2000, 2003) will quickly change a person's perception. 

My first memories of the Devils were the end of the season and the playoff in 1994.  That year ended in defeat for the Devils, losing in Game 7, at Madison Square Garden, to the Rangers, in OT.  But, that's okay, it happens.  You see, that year marked the rookie season for Martin Brodeur.  The rest is history to be honest.  But something happened the following season.  The Devils became a dominant road team in the playoffs and became the first and only team to win the Stanley Cup by not having home ice advantage in the playoffs; capping off their first Stanley Cup with a four game sweep of the Red Wings.  Two other Stanley Cups followed within the next eight years.

This organization has always been a rock for me when it comes to sports.  I understand that they will not with the Cup every season, I'm not stupid, I know it can't be every year (even though it better happen again soon, I'm getting ansy).  Yet I know that every season they will be competitive, they will play hard, they will make the playoffs, they be exciting, they may dominate, they will play the greatest ever who also happens to be my favorite athlete of all time.  It's a comfort to know all of that.  To have a sense of pride that when you tell someone who your favorite team is, you know in your heart that there is no chance any person can knock them.  The Nets?  Too easy.  The Red Bulls?  Just think of their existence.  Mets?  Haha, oh man.  But not the Devils.  There's nothing there to knock, nothing to step on.

I have no clue how this season will play out.  Signing Ilya Kovalchuk to a long term deal is fantastic because it gives the Devils another legitimate offensive weapon behind Zach Parise.  But will Brodeur lose a step?  Will the roster shrink to much to get under the salary cap?  Will new coach John MacLean be able to win right away?  All of that will be answered shortly... however I have a feeling, I'll be smiling come spring.