| Jonathan Volpe. 28th January, 2008 - 2:23 pm
 After starting the season with an 8-9-2 record, the New Jersey Devils currently sit in fifth place in the Eastern Conference.
With the lackluster start the Devils had, people began questioning whether Brent Sutter could coach at the NHL level and if Martin Brodeur could remain the dominant goaltender he once was.
All these questions were erased after a nine game winning streak that has the Devils with a 28-18-13 record. Although goal scoring has been hard to come by, the Devils rank second only to Detroit in goals against, as Brodeur has a 2.16 G.A.A., a .919 save percentag,e and four shutouts in 44 appearances.
The only downfall to the Devils' success is the lack of goal scoring and inconsistency upfront.
Both Patrik Elias and Brian Gionta have struggled thus far while Zach Parise has developed into an offensive threat.
Elias has 14 goals and 16 assists which are sub-par for Elias’ standards while Gionta has 13 goals and 20 assists for a measly 33 points. And let's not forget Gionta had 48 goals during the 2005-2006 season.
Another huge disappointment has been Dainius Zubrus, the Devils' major off-season signing. Zubrus is coming off a 60-point year but has only eight goals and 15 assists for 23 points so far.
While many people thought losing Brian Rafalski in the off-season would be detrimental, the defense has been scoring by committee while Rafalski is enjoying a remarkable season in Detroit. (43 points in 51 games)
Paul Martin, Johnny Oduya, and Mike Mottau have all been flourishing under increased minutes while Colin White, Vitaly Vishnevski, Karel Rachunek, and Andy Greene round out the defensive core.
The Devils continue to remain the poster boy for NHL teams that win by focusing on shutting the other teams down rather than that run and gun offense. Although this type of hockey may seem boring, the Devils are a prime example of its benefits. |
