With All-Star goalie Martin Brodeur out for three to four months, among other injuries, the New Jersey Devils have been struggling to compensate. Brodeur has been the franchise player for over a decade, with three Stanley Cups in 10 years and four Vezinas in five years to prove it.
However, now that he is gone, who will step up to prevent the Devils' season from slipping away. Several weeks later, the Devils are still waiting for the answer. The issue: injuries and underachievers.
Injuries: This is simple. With players like Salvador, Greene, Rolston, and Holik all out, the Devils are playing with mixed lines and little chemistry. Until some of the injured return, they will have a hard time putting out even three solid lines. Rolston was hoped to be the catalyst for a struggling offense, and he better prove to be so when he returns if the Devils have a shot at making the playoffs down the road.
Underachievers: With injuries keeping out some of the best defensemen, as well as their all-star goaltender, the Devils need scoring. However, their biggest role players have yet to prove themselves this season.
1. Jamie Langenbrunner- The captain of the Devils is having one of his worst starts ever and couldn't have had worse timing. Not only has he had trouble finding the back of the net, the best part of his game has completely turned around.
Once known as a clutch player, Langenbrunner has taken some game-killing penalties this season in key situations (i.e. late in the third period of the Devils' 2-1 loss to Edmonton).
If he wants to continue wearing the "C," he needs to be a role model on the ice and start producing offensively. There are young players in our lineup watching his poor performances be rewarded with lots of ice time. Not the right message you want to send, Sutter.
2. Patrick Elias - The biggest disappointment by far in the past several seasons has been Patrick Elias. He hasn't been the same every since he got Hep C, and frankly, the Devils fans have waited long enough to see him produce. He has yet to return to his full potential, and although his good hands are still there, he has yet to find the back of the net as much as he should.
Hopefully Rolston's return will spark some production, or else Elias' increasing contract stretching on for the next four years or so will become a burden on the Devils and watch for him to get some trade deadline action.
3. Colin White- Our biggest defenseman has yet to recover fully from his eye injury and fit the role he is meant to play; the gritty defense-men. As one of their biggest blue-liners, the Devils' veteran defenseman hasn't thrown the body as much this season, and his team has paid the price.
He needs to get back into that physical role he once played so well if his value on the team is to continue. White is another possibility for trade-deadline action now that the Devils have big Bryce Salvador, who has had an excellent start to the season before his injury.
Those are just three players that are underachieving this season, but there are more who no longer seem to fit the Devils' system including Brian Gionta and Dianus Zubrus. Perhaps it is time for some trades and cash thrown around to reorganize the Devils roster to better fit their system.
Future Watch: Just some interesting speculation that I have heard and thought about for the Devils' future. With the trade deadline approaching, and the season slipping away, perhaps it is time for the Devils to look for that big spark in their offensive that they've lacked for the past several seasons.
Elias' contract is going up to about $7 million, and he has yet to prove his worth. Gionta's contract isn't small either and his contract is soon coming to an end. Perhaps it is time to deal them and make some room for some big offense.
Ideas: Gaborik and Kovalchuk (one, not both). Minnesota is getting impatient with the young star and may be looking to get something for him as his contract ends and they look to rebuff their roster.
The Thrashers have yet to have a strong season, and with their roster changing all the time, Kovalchuk's ending contract next season could mean the loss of their franchise player should he want to move on. Perhaps it is time to deal him now and get some young talent and cash to begin rebuilding.
LET'S GO DEVILS!!!
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