7 Keys for the New Jersey Devils to Contend in the Atlantic Division in 2011-12

Heading into last season, there was reason to be very optimistic in Newark. The Devils had a new coach, John MacLean,  and had just signed Ilya Kovalchuk to a monster deal that all but guaranteed he would be a Devil for life. What a difference a few months made.

We all know the horror story of the first half of the Devils 2010-11 campaign. The injury to Parise, Kovalchuk and Brodeur's struggles, MacLean's dismissal, and the losses; the numerous, humiliating losses.

Now, a year later, after a miraculous turnaround in the second half, there is reason to be optimistic again in New Jersey. Here are seven keys to the Devils being a contender again in the 2011-2012 season.

Getting off to a Good Start

The Devils started last season 3-8-1 in the month of October, setting the stage for a horrendous first half of the season. By the time MacLean was fired on December 23, the team was 9-22-2 and in last place in the Eastern Conference.

This year, the Devils start the season hoping to carry the momentum of last year's second half that saw them go on an incredible run and almost make the playoffs. The first month of 2011-12  should answer the question of which half of last season represents the "real" Devils.

Players Have to Believe in DeBoer's System

During the short-lived MacLean era, we all saw what happens when the players don't believe in the coach's system. This year, GM/President Lou Lamoriello brought in Peter DeBoer to replace the retiring Jacques Lemaire.

DeBoer doesn't come to Newark sporting an impressive resume, never finishing higher than third in the division while handling the head coaching for the Florida Panthers, including a dismal last place finish in the Southeast Division in the 2009-2010 season that got him fired. He has never led a team to the postseason as an NHL head coach.

Still, DeBoer favors a system that attacks and aggressively forechecks, in contrast to Lemaire's more conservative style. The players seemed to respond well in the preseason.

Zach Parise Has to Stay Healthy

The Devils horrid October was capped by Parise tearing the meniscus in his right knee on October 30 in Los Angeles. He wasn't cleared to play again until April 2, 2011 which was also the day the Devils were officially eliminated from playoff contention.

Until the knee injury, Parise was one of the most durable players in the NHL, playing in at least 81 games his first five years in the league. His value to the Devils was obvious as they missed not only his scoring and play making ability, but his leadership.

Parise is once again healthy, and his ability to stay that way is a big key to the team's success.

Ilya Kovalchuk Has to Score

Kovalchuk, like the rest of the team, got off to an awful start last season, scoring just three goals in the initial 16 games. On September 4, 2010, he signed a 15 year, $100 million deal, and the conventional wisdom was that he was wilting under the weight of the giant expectations that the contract brought.

A second half renaissance proved that theory wrong, and this season begins with Kovalchuk expected to produce more goals, and possibly become the first 50-goal scorer in Devils history.

Brodeur Must Be Brodeur

The greatest goalie in NHL history looked like a sieve for the better part of the first half last season. The 39-year-old battled injuries for most of the year, and managed to appear in only 56 games, the second lowest total since becoming the Devils regular goalie in 1995. Brodeur also finished with a sub-.500 record for the first time in his career.

Backup Johan Hedberg has proven to be an adequate fill in, but Brodeur still holds the key to the Devils success. Additionally, the Devils possible goalie of the future, Keith Kinkaid, is still a few years away from being NHL-ready.

Zajac Comeback?

Top line center Travis Zajac broke Ken Daneyko's record for most consecutive games played last March, but that streak will end on opening night, as Zajac is recovering from surgery to repair a torn Achilles tendon. Previously, Zajac hadn't missed a game since the 2006-07 season. His return, said to be between three and six months, could be crucial to the Devils offense.

Can Young Adam Larsson Help the Defense?

Adam Larsson, the eighteen-year-old defenseman from Sweden, was the first round draft pick of the Devils, and made the team with a strong preseason. The organization envisions him anchoring the blue line for the next 15 years, but can he step in and make an immediate impact?

The Devils franchise has always prided themselves on blue collar defense, so Larsson will need to work hard and prove that he can play at the NHL level during the grind of the regular season.