The New Jersey Devils began this lockout abbreviated season with a very strong showing. Then, after the injury to goaltender Martin Brodeur (which I covered in a previous blog post) the team tumbled through a very tough stretch of losses.
When Brodeur finally returned to the lineup, the Devils got dealt another setback: their star forward, Ilya Kovalchuk, went down with an injury. So the team has been limping through some of their recent games, most recently losing a heartbreaker to Boston by a score of 1-0.
Missing the Playoffs?
The Devils currently sit in 9th place in the East and after 37 games they are 15-13-9 with 39 points. They are tied with their arch rival, the New York Rangers, who also have 39 points. The New York Islanders sit in 7th place with 40 points.
Meanwhile, right behind the Devils sit the Winnipeg Jets with 38 points and the rival Philadelphia Flyers with 37 points. So, it is a crowded group of teams vying for a few precious playoff positions as we hit the stretch run for the season. The Devils have 11 games remaining before the regular season ends on April 27th, and they have to start winning some games.
Now, I know that previous statement seems obvious to even casual sports fans, but it is easier said than done. The last games on this stretch are all important for the Devils, but the next 5 games are really critical. Here is their upcoming schedule:
vs. Toronto (home game)
@Buffalo
vs. Boston (home)
vs. Ottawa (home)
@ Toronto
The fact that 3 of the next 5 games are at home will help the Devils, but they have struggled in every game recently, whether home or on the road. These games are going to be tough, Toronto has 44 points in 6th place currently and is playing well. Boston and Ottawa are both solid, playoff caliber type teams, with strong goaltending.
However, the silver lining here is how well the Devils played in their last game against Boston. They had some quality scoring chances and played on the road in a tough environment. So I take some hope from that game that they will get this turned around.
Outlook and Cause for Concern
The outlook is still good for this Devils team to make the playoffs, but they will need contributions from players such as Clarkson, Zajac, Carter, Gionta, and Salvador to get there. Hopefully, Kovalchuk can return to provide the leadership and scoring punch that they will need in the intensity of the playoffs.
However, there is cause for concern for myself and other Devils fans. The run in the playoffs, if we make it, could be very short lived. In my opinion, the Devils are not able to match up well against Pittsburgh or Montreal in the first round of the playoffs. The Devils would have to win enough games to get to 6th place to obtain a more favorable playoff matchup with the Washington Capitals, who should hold on and win their division, the Southeast Division. The matchup with the Capitals would be a legitimate opportunity for the Devils to advance in the playoffs.
One thing is certain: the Devils are running out of time to turn this season around and they need to take action quickly in order to be able to defend their Eastern Conference title in the playoffs this season.