New Jersey Devils: The Positives and Negatives
To say this season hasn't gone the way fans of the New Jersey Devils had hoped is an understatement.
After signing left winger Ilya Kovalchuk to a controversial and unprecedented fifteen-year, $100 million deal, fans thought that the Devils had finally cemented the thing that seems to having been lacking in the previous five seasons: offense, something which might finally take them to the playoffs.
Unfortunately—and unpredictably—the Devils defense and offense have both failed early this season, the team unable even to string together back-to-back victories.
PLUS: Travis Zajac
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The most recent news is that Zajac has been moved from the Kovalchuk/Vasyunov line to the Rolston/Clarkson line. While it is understandable that John MacLean is desperately trying to find chemistry after the Bruins' shut-out, Zajac is one of the few Devils pluses at the moment.
Thus far Zajac has two goals to his name, coupled with a respectable six assists in eighteen games. Most importantly, however, is that Zajac is one of the few Devils to be plus-one.
PLUS: Jason Arnott
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While it doesn't look like Arnott is going to be the fifty-point threat he had been in Nashville in previous seasons, he is currently leading the Devils in goals—and therefore has to be a plus on a team where no one else has scored more than four.
It is bittersweet, as fans were certainly hoping that Arnott would compliment Kovy rather than eclipse him—but someone on the Devils roster needs to score.
PLUS: Young Players
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Mattias Tedenby and Alexander Vasyunov both have made a decent impact on the team's play in just three and nine games respectively.
Tedenby is playing much better than your normal AHL player and is playing some strong offense. In three games he has scored one goal and an assist but is still at minus-two.
However, Vasyunov is one of the few players on the Devils roster to be a plus with a plus-two. In nine games he has one goal and two assists. He is certainly one of the Devils' most talented younger players and will see more ice time if the Devils' injury woes continue.
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PLUS: Returns From Injury
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Brian Rolston and Martin Brodeur have returned from injury, and hopefully this will add veteran depth to the team as well as allowing the full line-up to build some much needed chemistry.
Rolston scored in his first game back, and while Brodeur let three goals through against Boston, the rumour is that his bruised arm is giving him trouble. Neither can be expected to produce at the levels they have in previous seasons, but hopefully they can add the consistency the Devils have so sorely lacked.
MINUS: Ilya Kovalchuk
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While there has been a lot of undeserved Ilya Kovalchuk-bashing this season, as he has shown glimpses of his greatness, it is undeniable at this point that Kovy is not delivering on expectations.
With four goals and five assists over seventeen games, Kovy statistically still stands at a woeful minus-nine. Kovy has been very up and down, which is not what is wanted from the $100 million man.
MINUS: John MacLean
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New Jersey Devils legend Johnny Mac has unfortunately been stuck with a poor season to debut as a NHL coach.
MacLean has an undeniable amount of talent to work with, but he hasn't been able to manufacture good enough chemistry or plays to capitalise on the talent or to translate it into wins.
John MacLean has been groomed for this position by GM Lou Lamaoriello, and he is a former Devils legend, so he deserves a full season to see if he can translate his success in the AHL to the NHL.
MINUS: Offence
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The New Jersey Devils' inability to play offence is absolutely inexplicable.
The Devils have only scored thirty-three points in the eighteen games of this season. With the talent on the roster, particularly with guys like Kovalchuk, this in unexplainable, and, for fans, inexcusable.
After Arnott's six goals Kovy has four, but no one else on the team has more than three. That means these guys are on track for a statistically awful season.
MINUS: Zach Parise
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Zach Parise is one of the solidest players on the Devils' roster, and losing him to injury so early in the season has added to the lack of consistency that has plagued the Devils.
In the 2008-2009 season Parise was the NHL's third highest scorer, and with the Devils poor scoring thus far, Parise is a much needed missing element. He looks to be out another few months, and when he comes back the Devils will need to find salary cap space for him!
Conclusion
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This is by no means a definitive list of the positives and negatives of the season thus far. While the Devils have been plagued by negative coverage, borne out of their playing well below expectations.
Much like the Miami Heat, the Devils in this line-up will be together for a few seasons, and there is no pressure on them to win in this season.
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