New Jersey Devils 2013-14 Season Preview

2013 Recap
Fresh off a surprising trip to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2012, the Devils had their work cut out for themselves last year after the departure of Zach Parise to the Wild. Throw in an aging goaltender and it was reasonable to think the team would slide a little bit, but still be in contention.

Not so much.

The Devils not only dipped in terms of wins, but fell out of the playoffs all together. Only four players reached double digits in goals and the normally stout defensive team had trouble keeping the puck out of their own net. It was a little bit surprising for an organization used to success, but it turns out the worst was on the way.

Two of though double digit scorers in David Clarkson (free agency) and Ilya Kovalchuk (retirement/humangus big Russia payday) are also gone, leaving the team with several holes for the upcoming season.

So how will the Devils stack up against their usual division rivals and a few new ones? Let’s see…

Patrik Elias has quietly been one of the NHL’s most consistent producers for the last decade

Forwards

Back among the team’s top six are Patrik Elias, who I’m almost positive has been with the team since they moved to New Jersey, Travis Zajac, Andrei Loktionov and Adam Henrique. Elias keeps managing to produce given his age and the fact he lost a season years back with such bad Hepatitis A that it could have cost him his life. Loktionov showed he could play when given the chance, as he was previously stuck in the Kings’ minor league system.

However, in order for this team to compete, Henrique needs to bounce back from an awful sophomore campaign and Zajac has to be better than he has been for the last three years to warrant the stupid contract he currently has. If only he had a superstar winger to play with…

Joining the top six via free agency is the ageless Jaromir Jagr, Michael Ryder and Ryane Clowe, who conned Lou Lamoirello out of a truck-load of money this offseason. I like Clowe, but a five-year deal for someone that has battled injuries for the better part of the last three years is insanity. I know the Devils are expecting him to fill Clarkson’s role, but that’s a hefty price to pay. Jagr and Ryder will help produce goals, and Jagr should be a nice piece for Lou to dangle come trade deadline time.

The bottom six with guys like Steve Bernier, Dainius Zubrus, Stephen Gionta, etc. is a hard-working group that can pressure their opponents on the forecheck. Two guys yet to meet their potential that should get a long look at Jacob Josefson and Mattias Tedenby, a pair of former first round picks that haven’t been able to stick with the team. Hey, for a squad that could struggle to make the playoffs, why the hell not?

(Ed. Note: A day after writing this, the Devils signed Damien Brunner to a tryout deal, which was brilliant.)

Defense
If the Devils want to stay in the mix, the defense is going to have to be extra stingy this year. Henrik Tallinder is the only guy gone from last year’s squad that features Andy Greene, Bryce Salvador, Anton Volchenkov and Marek Zidlicky as the top-four.

This marks a big year for another Devils’ d-man, Adam Larsson. While other members of the 2011 draft class have shown they belong in the league, Larsson has struggled to do the same. I think he earns a permanent spot on the roster and finally takes the step forward the Devils need him to. For a team that needs to start building for the future, he better.

Goaltending
Hey, an area where there’s some stability! Well, at least not talent-wise. Marty Brodeur is back for what we’re all assuming will be the last in his brilliant career. But he’s not the 75-game-a-year guy at age 41. Marty is finally going to have some company in terms of playing time this year, as the Devils rescued a certain goaltender from the hell that is Vancouver.

No, not THAT one.

Cory Schneider was acquired at the draft to bring some stability to the New Jersey net long-term, and will most likely split start with Brodeur this year before taking over full-time. I’m sure Cory is tired of hear that he’s “next year’s goalie,” but in this case, it’s actually true.

With both guys capable of sharing the workload, head coach Pete DeBoer is going to be able to roll whichever goalie is hot and the Devils will at least be competitive thanks to these two.

The Hat Trick
1. Picking up the Slack
Regardless of how you or I feel about Kovalchuk’s decision to leave the team and go back to Russia, it’s better for the Devils long-term financially. But on the ice, there’s going to be a massive hole to fill on the scoresheet when you factor in the Clarkson departure as well. This team may not score a ton of pretty goals this year, so everyone on the team (goalies included) need to chip in offensively.

2. Swedish Youngsters
I touched on it briefly, but the trio of Larsson, Josefson and Tedenby are teetering toward the label of ‘first-round busts’ given their lack of results on the ice. Yes, each has had to deal with injuries in their brief careers, but they need to take advantage of the opportunity to grab permanent roster spots for a team heading towards a re-build.

3. Passing of the Torch
We knew it would happen at some point, but now there’s a clear heir to Marty’s crease. Schneider has had the chance to learn from one all-world goalies in his career, and now he gets to pick Marty’s brain for a year. But in order for this partnership to work, Brodeur has to be OK with sitting for a couple games in a row if (when) Schneider catches fire. I don’t worry about how Schneider will handle things, but Brodeur is a different story.

Prediction
This year is going to be tough-sledding for the Devils given the amount of production the team lost over the offseason. Goaltending will keep them in games most nights, but this team is going to struggle to keep up if they get into any high-scoring affairs. They won’t be miserable, but it won’t be pretty either. Eighth in Metropolitan.

Must-Follow Devils Twitter Feed
If you’re not following @wyshynski, what are you doing with your life? The Puck Daddy editor and Devils fan should be your go-to for all hockey content on the web. And no, I’m not kissing ass.

–I am Ryan Thomas, and I can’t think of a humorous tag line at the moment. Follow me on Twitter @rthomas_22, where I’ll bore you with opinions on the KC Chiefs until hockey starts.

Stanley Cup Playoffs Preview: #3 Vancouver Canucks vs. #6 San Jose Sharks

As always, I wait until the end to preview any series the San Jose Sharks play in. I also put more thought into this preview than all of the other previews combined, which isn’t saying much. Away we go.

After two straight President’s Trophies, the Vancouver Canucks battled a slew of injuries to win the Northwest Division and earn the 3-seed in the playoffs. I think I remember hearing something about their goaltending situation, but I’m not sure. Has anyone else heard of this?

All kidding aside, the Canucks enter the playoffs playing some of their best hockey of the year. Ryan Kesler is finally healthy and the addition of Derek Roy gives the team the offensive depth that had the ‘Nucks had been lacking throughout the year. And it came just in time, as Vancouver now looks alot like the team that went to the finals in 2011 with the Sedins, Alex Burrows and Chris Higgins flying around the ice and making magic offensively.

But like always, all eyes are going to be on the man in net for Vancouver. After getting royally screwed by GM Mike Gillis, it appears Roberto Luongo is going to start game one because Cory Schneider is sidelined with a body injury. Oh, and Luongo is coming off of a game in which he got shelled by the Oilers for 7 goals. So I’m sure his confidence is high, and the Vancouver fan base’s confidence in him has to be through the roof.

Also entering the playoffs playing some outstanding hockey are the San Jose Sharks. I love what the Sharks did at the trade deadline, dumping dead weight in Ryane Clowe, Douglas Murray and Michal Handzus in favor of speed and Raffi Torres. I hated the Torres addition at first, but he has played hard every shift since he put on the Sharks’ sweater, and I have no choice but to like the guy until he does something stupid. Then again, since the Canucks are a team loaded with dirty players and unlikeable personalities, it might be different this year because he isn’t hunting down citizens like Marian Hossa.

San Jose has also moved American hero Joe Pavelski back to centering the third line, which worked out well the last time it happened back in the 2011 playoffs. Three lines are capable of scoring and that should open things up a little more for Joe Thornton and Logan Couture. Speaking of Couture, he has been the best skater of the year for this team, and he’s a much different and more dangerous player than the kid that struggled against Vancouver back in 2011. Oh, and comedian turned hockey player Brent Burns has provided some much needed muscle and skill to the top line, switching from defense in a move that has been viewed as the turning point for this team’s season.

Defensively, the Sharks are going to have their hands full. Dan Boyle and Marc-Edouard Vlasic have been brilliant, but the emergence of Matt Irwin and Justin Bruan, as well as the steady presence of Brad Stuart, gives the Sharks one of the league’s stingiest blue lines. If only there was some way for Jason “Daddy” Demers to get back in the lineup. I can’t bear to watch another game with the corpse of Scott Hannan running around getting torched. But this group is going to have their hands full with one of the league’s top offenses staring at them from across the ice.

Don’t look now, but the Sharks actually have the advantage in goal on paper. Antti Niemi has been a godsend for the Sharks all year, and kept the team’s head above water when everyone else went into the toilet back in February. If he dominated the playoffs like he did the regular season, I’ll be cool with him not winning the Vezina Trophy. But as a Shark, he has been atrocious in the playoffs. That includes a drubbing handed down by these Canucks back in 2011. Nemo will put that behind him and he’s going to need to steal at least two games if the Sharks want to advance.

I personally haven’t recovered from the way the 2011 Western Conference Finals ended. It’s one of two times in my life I have ever tried to drink myself into a coma because of a sporting event. I want revenge in the worst way possible. Make me happy, boys.

Vancouver will win if:
Ryan Kesler is the best player on the ice. Until his no-show in the 2011 Cup Finals, Kesler was putting on one of the most dominating playoff performances of all time. And because he was hurt, he should be well rested heading into this series. Both teams are deep down the middle, but this man is a difference maker.

San Jose will win if:
They win the battle of the power plays. Both teams have been good on the penalty kill this year, and for the Sharks that has been a major reason why they’re in the playoffs. On the power play, the Sharks have been suspect since getting off to a great start. They’ll need to take advantage of when the Canucks hand them the man-advantage and not allow the Canucks’ ridiculous PP to eat them alive.

Prediction:
I know the Sharks won the season series 3-0. I won’t say it means absolutely nothing, but Vancouver didn’t have Roy and Kesler in the lineup. These two teams are about as even as you can get, and this series is going to be a war. In the end, the stability of Niemi in San Jose’s net tops the cluster taking place in Vancouver’s. Sharks in 6 with Raffi Torres beating down Max Lapierre in the series’ final seconds.

–I am Ryan Thomas, and I approve this post. Follow me on Twitter @rthomas_22 to tell me how much of a homer I am. Also, humor me with any musings of how the Sharks are playoff choke artists. Try to tell me something I haven’t heard before. I dare you.

The Goaltending Foxhole, Part Four

Now this is where things get fun. We’ve already looked at the first three levels of goaltenders. Please, feel free to go back and read them if you haven’t already. Today, we take a look at some of the game’s top goaltenders that have a quirk or have struggled in crunch-time. Some of these guys don’t fall into the “Talented But Unproven” category, simply because their talents have been on display for more than half of a season. Yet, I’m still not entirely sure what to make of them. This section will be called:

The Enigmas

Ondrej Pavelec
The man that has been tapped as the Jets’ goaltender of the foreseeable future, Pavelec has impressed me on more than one occasion with the Atlanta/Winnipeg franchise. He’s also made me shake my head on more than one occasion at his play. I know his team has been awful defensively since he’s been with the big club, but he’s been prone to bad goals as well.

If Sergei Bobrovsky is going to be an NHL number one goalie, it may not be in Philly

Sergei Bobrovsky
Bob came out of nowhere to be an early season stud for the Flyers in 2010. Then, it appeared that he got a little worn down by the longer NHL schedule, and he wasn’t near as strong in the latter part of the season. Played well overall, the Peter Laviollette decided to play hot potato with his goalies in the playoffs. Now Bobrovsky sits behind Ilya Bryzgalov in the Philly net. Tough breaks for Bob.

Ray Emery
The oldest member of the list, Emery has backstopped a team to the finals, battled injuries and personal demons only to fight his way back to form last year. Emery doesn’t get the benefit of the doubt here because of the amount of time he was on the shelf over the last few years. We won’t know if he can take a team to the Finals the same way he did with Ottawa in ’07. Unless someone loses each of their current goalies.

Craig Anderson
A guy that played a few pretty good seasons as a backup into a starting gig, Anderson was at his very best when he helped take Colorado back to the playoffs in 2010. The biggest problem for Anderson since then is the fact that he’s been playing for some of the worst defensive teams in the league in Ottawa and last year’s version of the Avalanche. Anderson’s numbers this year haven’t been great, but he’s stolen a few games for the Avs.

Michal Neuvirth is currently learning behind Tomas Vokoun in Washington

Michal Neuvirth
The only thing getting Neuvirth on this list is the fact that he was the guy last year in Washington. Neuvirth was great in the regular season and against the Rangers in the playoffs. But since the Tampa series, Neuvirth has been incredibly bad for a good team. If he’s going to be the guy going forward for the Caps, he’s got to show more.

Semyon Varlamov
The talent is there, without question. But injuries and the inability to get in a groove have held Varlamov back over the last few years. This season, the Avalanche gave up a ton to get him from the Capitals, and they’ve been rewarded with inconsistent play thus far. It’s been the story of his career. But, from reading The Goalie Guild (which had a big help in the inspiration for this list), the Avalanche don’t have a goaltending coach for Varly. Hopefully, he’s been listening to J.S. Giguere.

Without Brian Elliott, the Blues may be one of the league's worst teams

Brian Elliott
Before you call me an idiot for putting Elliott this high, hear me out. The guy has been a good goalie since he came into the league. Not great, but good. He helped get the Senators to the playoffs a few years ago with some great play. He was atrocious last year for two of the league’s worst teams in Ottawa and Colorado. St. Louis took a flier on him this year, and they’ve been rewarded with outstanding play from Elliott. Elliott helped take Wisconsin to a national title as a senior, and he was even playing well before Ken Hitchcock arrived in St. Louis. I can’t put him higher though, because I don’t know if this will keep up and the Blues go back to the guy they’re paying a lot of money to. Speaking of him…

Jaroslav Halak
What the hell happened, Jaro? He never had a chance to take the top spot in Montreal, takes the Habs on a magical playoff run two years ago, gets a chance in St. Louis to be the top guy last year and plays very well early. Then, the wheels fell off and Halak hasn’t been able to re-gain the form he showed at times in Montreal. He’s been victimized by bad goals, yet he makes a save or two per game that brings you out of your seat. I know he’s capable of getting white-hot, but that hasn’t happened for quite some time. Thanks, Jaro, but you can take a seat.

Cory Schneider
Yes, this choice does break the rules listed at the top. But it’s my list and I can do what I want with it! There’s no question the Schneider is going to be a number one goalie somewhere in the NHL. No one knows if it’s going to be in Vancouver or elsewhere though. He’s been lights-out this season playing in relief of Roberto Luongo. He was also great last year and was called upon to take over for Luongo in a clinching playoff game. If I’m any team that needs a plan in net for the future, I would get on the phone with Mike Gillis right now. I’m talking to you, New Jersey.

Tuukka Rask
Rask is being very patient behind Tim Thomas. He has the chops to be a top guy, and he took the Bruins to a series win in 2010. He was also in net for the team’s collapse against the Flyers that year too, so I have to dock him for that. He fits in above Schneider because we’ve seen more of Rask over the last few years.

Mike Smith is thriving in the Desert this season

Mike Smith
Now that he’s out of goaltending hell in Tampa, we’re finally able to see what Smith can do as a goalie. He’s healthy and he’s been great for the Coyotes this year. As good as he’s been this year, it has yet to be seen how he does over an entire season. He’s also fun to watch because of how well he handles the puck. Talk to me in a few months with Smith.

Corey Crawford
It took him some time, but Crawford now has a stranglehold on the Chicago net. He was a blast to watch last year, and he nearly won the team’s game seven in Vancouver last year by himself. He continues to get better, and it may not be too long before Crawford is one of the league’s elite goaltenders. My only concern is how quick his coach likes to give his goalies the hook. All it takes to possibly put Crawford back on the bench is a 4-5 game stretch of poor play.

Kari Lehtonen
I had an incredibly hard time trying to figure out where to put Lehtonen. He’s been great since he arrived in Dallas, nearly taking a lesser-talented team to the playoffs last year. He also got out to a great start this season for the Stars. From what I had been told, it was because he dedicated himself to getting in shape and getting healthy. That gives me the idea that he could give up if things are going south. He battled injuries and some bad hockey teams while in Atlanta, but was good the year he took them to the team’s only playoff appearance. He responded by getting abused by the Rangers in his only playoff action. So until he can prove that he’s worthy of being a top goalie, I have no choice but to put him here.

Jonathan Quick
Another guy that’s been great since he was handed the keys to his team, Quick is putting up great numbers for the Kings once again this year. He’s also got to deal with Jonathan Bernier behind him, who could take that spot at any time. My biggest issue with Quick is how badly he’s fallen apart in the playoffs. Yes, he stole LA’s two (nearly three) wins last year against the Sharks in the playoffs. But he was taken to the woodshed by Vancouver the year before, and had he not collapsed in game three against San Jose, who knows how that series ends. Yes, I was smiling the entire time I typed that. Perform in the playoffs, young man.

Jonas Hiller
When he’s good, he’s really good. But Hiller’s high points came the year he led the Ducks to a playoff win as an 8-seed (my smile is no longer present) and last year before he came down with vertigo. Hiller returned this year to what has turned out to be a pretty bad Ducks team, and his numbers have suffered. I’m not going to throw the guy to the wayside, he’s still plenty talented and can steal games if he gets hot. Catching with his right hand is also a different look for shooters. But I need to see him put together a long stretch before thinking about moving him up.

Antti Niemi is the only goalie in this section to have started for a Stanley Cup winner

Antti Niemi
While I had a friend tell me he thinks Niemi deserves to be an elite goalie, I can’t put him there yet. Yes, he’s won a Stanley Cup. Yes, he’s carried two teams to great seasons. But his Cup had more to do with the team in front of him than anything, and he’s been leaky in a few playoff series over the last two years (LA and Vancouver last year, at times against Philly in ’10). So until Niemi can put together a season AND playoff season where he’s lights-out, then his ascension to the elite could come quickly. For my own sanity, I hope it’s this season. The good news is that he’s been superb for the Sharks this season and is a big reason why they’re the top defensive team in the West as of right now.

Jimmy Howard
This guy is on the fast-track to an elite level. I even hate having him here. Howard took the league by storm as a rookie, but he regressed a little bit last season, posting less than impressive numbers. Howard erased any concern that his team had about him in the playoffs, posting solid numbers in 11 games. This season, he’s gotten off to a great start and has kept the Red Wings in the hunt for the top spot in the conference. The only issue I have, and this is based off the times I’ve gotten to see him the most (the playoffs against San Jose), is that he’s prone to giving up a bad goal that can swing some momentum. He appears to be the Red Wings’ guy going forward though, so all is good in Detroit’s net.

Ilya Bryzgalov hopes to get his game turned around in time for the playoffs

Ilya Bryzgalov
Bryzgalov just missed out on the elite level, and anyone that’s seen him play in Philly this year can understand why. He was outstanding in Phoenix for four years, posting great numbers for teams that aren’t as talented as others in the league. However, we could be seeing that those results were a product of Dave Tippett’s system since Mike Smith is having success. There’s no question Bryzgalov is a talented goalie. He’s openly said he’s had some confidence issues in Philly so far, and now we’re starting to see Sergei Bobrovsky get more playing time. He demanded big money, got it, and is slacking. It’s almost as if he’s using the more talented team in front of him as an excuse to let his guard down. That’s not how it works, in the end you still have to stop the puck, Breezy.

Well that covers it for The Enigmas. We’ve finally reached the elite. Come back tomorrow, when I reveal the one goaltender that I want in net for one game only.

And please, react to me! I enjoy the feedback.