Introduction
Losing nine of their last 11 games, including giving up a total of twelve goals in two games against the New York Rangers, the New Jersey Devils look very different from how they began the season. Every sports fan understands that bad losses are going to happen. Sometimes the puck doesn’t bounce your way, sometimes you just simply don’t have your best stuff. The real question becomes, “How long is bad puck luck,” or “The opposing goalie was just too good,” an acceptable excuse? At what point does the blame fall onto the team. This includes both the players and coaches.
Now, in a future article I may do more of a deep dive into the underlying numbers to break down how the team is actually playing. However, the below is strictly an opinion piece. One that will focus more on what the eyes tell you. This rather than what the analytics or statistics may say.
Where Has it Gone Wrong?
The loss to the Rangers is one of the fresher in mind, but this extends far beyond that beating. One thing that has changed a bit from the beginning of the season is the edge the team played with. In the beginning of the season, finally Devils’ fans were seeing a team that was playing fast. The team was scrappy around the crease and were always ending up in scrums after a goalie cover.
Attitude
However, now when the team falls behind, you are seeing guys shoulders sag, their heads drop down, and they appear to be defeated mentally before the game is over. The hardest thing to take is even the veteran players do not appear to be stepping up. Younger guys are naturally going to struggle at times adapting to the NHL. That is why the veterans who should be stabilizing things. This rather than being a major part of the problem. The Devils began the season playing with a confidence and a swagger. Now, the confidence resembles a defeated and embarrassed team.
Doing Too Much
Players are either making passes into each others skates or putting it too far out in front. This then leads to slows down or ruins a breakout opportunity. Additionally, the blind passes or putting a puck where a player was not where they’re going has killed many a possession opportunity as well. When things aren’t going your way, sometimes you just need to simplify your game until you get momentum back.
The Devils seem to be doing the opposite and consistently looking for the fancy play or more complicated ones. In the defensive zone, there is not enough clearing the puck to the outside or over top. Instead, the consistent play seems to be a long stretch attempt through the middle of the ice. Folks, it’s ‘hockey-101′ to not move the puck through the middle of the ice when trying to exit your own zone. However, it’s a staple play in Devils’ games.
The Coaching
Now, you are starting to also see a sense of panic and doubt set in from the coaching staff as well. This mostly in the form of constant line adjustments hoping to spark something in the team. Head coach Lindy Ruff is mixing and matching players seemingly on a game-by-game basis. These are all little things, but they show signs of a team that has their feet dangling over the edge. Specifically, so dangerously close to completely going off the cliff.
What to Hope for?
As fans, we all understand that the team is young and still growing through a rebuild. However, it is still okay to be critical and, quite frankly, get agitated about it. Suffering through losses is something every fan base has to deal with at times, but what becomes harder to take is when games become unwatchable.
This team is not one that should be losing to a team like the Rangers 6-1. Especially when the team looks dis-interested and disheartened instead of angered. You see teams all over the league fight and start to get chippy when they fall behind in a game, but that has all but disappeared from Devils’ hockey this season.
Ultimately, for the rest of this season, I want to see this team playing more freely and having fun. Losing is not fun, so it’s hard to be carefree when it’s going as bad as it is. However, being uptight on the ice and playing scared isn’t going to help break free from this slump.
Right now, it looks like they are playing not to lose instead of playing to win, and that needs to change quickly. The longer this play lasts the more they harbor a losing culture in the locker room. This team is capable of playing well and above the level that they are currently playing. Ultimately, that is why as fans you should be angry. If the team loses a tough game that’s going to happen, but the fanbase shouldn’t settle for poor effort levels and a lack of fight.