This Is Rock Bottom For New Jersey Devils
By Nick Villano
The New Jersey Devils just lost to the worst team in the NHL when the Colorado Avalanche broke a tie in the third period. This is the low point of the team’s five-year rebuild.
The New Jersey Devils just lost its ninth game in a row. The team is unraveling before everyone’s very eyes.
This is the worst losing streak the Devils have endured since April of 2013. It’s been almost a full month since the team put a mark in the win column.
This is the hardest pill to swallow for Devils’ fans. There was so much hope for the season coming in. Cory Schneider was coming off a season where he stood on his head almost every game. He was supposed to do that same thing this season, but he’s been much worse.
The main reason for optimism was an offseason trade that brought former number one overall pick Taylor Hall to finally bring an offensive punch. Since the Devils lost Ilya Kovalchuk and Zach Parise in consecutive offseasons, the team was missing an offensive punch. The addition of Hall was supposed to add that punch.
Head Coach John Hynes was able to get the most out of the team last season. For most of the season, the team played above their talent level. This season, Hynes hasn’t been able to get the most out of his talent.
More from Pucks and Pitchforks
- Should New Jersey Devils Try Load Management With Vitek Vanecek?
- New Jersey Devils Will Prove That Last Year Wasn’t A Fluke
- New Jersey Devils: Luke Hughes’ Playmaking Will Outshine His Mistakes
- New Jersey Devils: Chase Stillman’s Performance Causes Concern
- Can Devils Fans Separate Zach Parise Heartbreak From Achievements?
This is rock bottom for a franchise that once made the Tri-State area jealous. The New York Rangers, New York Islanders and Philadelphia Flyers were watching as the Devils were making the playoffs every year and raised three Stanley Cups.
Now, the Devils are the laughing stock of the Metropolitan Division. They are the easy team on the schedule. Its the team opponents circle to start its backup goalie.
This team was supposed to make strides towards the future this season. Pavel Zacha’s potential was supposed to be a side note to a good season. Now, it is all many fans hold onto. The future is all fans can rely on now. A good draft pick this year and cap space to sign in the offseason is what fans have to talk about.