I have been trying out this idea with other fans at recent games and it is such a big hit, I figured I would share it with all of you.
Would it make this situation hurt less if the ushers waited at the doors to hand everyone twenty dollars as they left? Maybe. This is how a lot of Devils fans feel. I get a lot of comments at the arena and on various social networking sites that we are working really hard to spend our hard earned money on a team that is just awful. So here’s what I say to you:
Stay home.
Surprised? I was surprised just having this thought; but there were so many things that happened throughout the course of last night’s game that made me feel this way. Devil fans are arrogant though it is perfectly warranted based on many years of success. I have noticed recently that a lot of fans don’t seem to “get it” when it comes to how to act at a game. This thought came to fruition last night when there was just about 10 minutes to go in the third period and the Devils were down 3-0. I heard that whistle. Yes, that one. The one where someone who has had enough alcohol mixed with the annoying skill of being able to project their whistle loud enough for the whole arena to hear in order to display their hatred for the Rangers. Then the Devils fans erupt with a cheer of “Rangers Suck!” I start thinking to myself, REALLY? Rangers suck? The team that is currently beating the Devils 3-0 and sending them to an abysmal 4-10-1 start. The team that is able to use their fans to help the Devils fill seats that would otherwise be empty. The team that stayed disciplined, only giving the Devils one powerplay while the Devils were taking careless penalties left and right (LOOKING AT YOU DAVID CLARKSON). Yes, that team “sucks.” It’s frankly embarrassing. Those chants outnumbered the “Let’s Go Devils” chants by at least 3-1.
Fans would be insane to think that behavior like that doesn’t affect the players. How do you think the players felt coming onto the ice last night to a crowd cheering the Rangers and booing the Devils? I bet it made them feel like they were still on their road trip.
In conclusion- Devil fans need to WAKE UP. They have a very talented team that is going through a great deal of adversity, injuries, and uncertainty. Regardless of a 4-10-1 record, THEY WILL BE FINE.
One must try to look at the positives while dissecting this team to figure out what’s going on.
Stephen Gionta made his NHL debut last night. I was certainly skeptical of this move thinking youngsters like Vladimir Zharkov, Nick Palmieri, or Mattias Tedenby deserved to be called up. I was pleasantly surprised to see Stephen Gionta having more hustle than any of the veterans on the ice. He, along with Brad Mills, Alex Vasyunov, Matt Taormina, and Alex Urbom were the best players in red last night.
How to fix this team:
If I was given the job to figure out why this team is not succeeding, I would point to Ilya Kovalchuk first. NOT in a manner of reminding everyone how much money he makes then pointing at the fact that his stats don’t add up. Did you all really expect him to have 10 goals already and light the world on fire?
This is a player that is nervous. For eight years, he was down in Atlanta running the show. He had next to no team around him and I’m pretty sure the Thrashers’ playbook consisted of pictures of Ilya smiling on every page. In New Jersey, he is surrounded by a group of veterans that have the capability to look like an all star team. Kovalchuk has had quite an experience here learning how to play as a team player. IF HE DIDN’T WANT TO DO IT, HE WOULD NOT HAVE SIGNED HERE. While this team will greatly miss Zach Parise for the next three months, it will be a great thing for Kovalchuk who will have a great center in Travis Zajac feeding him the puck every night. They will be able to gain some chemistry and that line of Parise-Zajac-Kovalchuk can really run wild when Parise comes back.
The next issue is the defense. Jon Nudo wrote a great article on this. If you didn’t read it yet, I don’t know what is wrong with you. Anton Volchenkov came back last night and looked decent, but shaky, in his return. He will certainly settle in soon and create a force field around Broduer where other teams won’t feel they can move freely throughout the zone. Don’t forget, Volchenkov has only played two full games as a Devil. Henrik Tallinder is also going through an adjustment period. For most of this season, he has been paired with a rookie. Sure, that worked great for him with Tyler Myers in Buffalo. Oliver Magnan and Tyler Eckford are not Tyler Myers. Matt Laughlin and Sherry Ross hit the nail on the head during last night’s post game show when they pointed out that it is hard for a veteran to play his game while having to look after a rookie. The vet usually has to keep one eye on the rookie and make sure he’s where he is supposed to be. Colin White will also recover from the flu in the next few days to come back and play in Wednesday’s game against Buffalo. The best surprise of the season has been the play of Matt Taormina. If Alex Urbom can play every night like he played last night, the Devils’ defense will be at its best on Wednesday.
A good defense translates into a better offense. When the defense struggles, it is the job of the forwards to pick up a little slack. This is here the Devils look lost on most nights. It seems that the team is committed to more offense this season. While the offense is trying to produce, the defense is struggling on all fronts and it creates a hole. Volchenkov and White will help the defense be more reliable to then let the forwards forcheck and create scoring chances without the fear that any turnover would create a complete disaster.
It also seems that Brian Rolston will be coming back soon. While everyone is quick to point out his numbers and the fact that they don’t quite seem to justify his contract, the Devils could certainly use him at the moment. He would create another strong shot from the point on the powerplay and the experience of a player that has been around for a long time.
Possible lines for Brian Rolston’s return:
Kovalchuk-Zajac-Langennbrunner
Elias-Arnott-Vasyunov
Rolston-Zubrus-Clarkson
Pelley-Mair-Mills
Volchenkov-Greene
White-Taormina
Tallinder-Urbom
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Sure, this is all wishful thinking. This is also a Saturday morning headache induced rant from someone who is angry yet hopeful.
By the way, look at the standings. The Devils are eight points out of the division lead and nine points away from having the best record in the NHL. They are being given a lot of chances to right the ship. If they have the confidence, Wednesday and Friday could be vital.
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