5 Questions For Sluggish New Jersey Devils After Rough Start

The 2019-2020 season has not started off the way pretty much everyone in the hockey community expected it to for the New Jersey Devils. They have started the season 0-4-2 and are the only team in the entire league without a win. The Devils, although, have had more than enough opportunities to even have a winning record through the first six games. This is one of the worst starts in recent memory for the franchise.

Not since 2013-2014 have they started off so sluggish. The roster has a significantly different look to it now than it did six years ago, but the feel seems somewhat worse. Back then, the head coach was Pete DeBoer and the team was led by captain Bryce Salvador. The main difference between this team and the one we watch today is that there are bona-fide superstars now.

In 2013-14, the big names the Devils had were an over achieving Jaromir Jagr, and oft-injured Patrik Elias, and the leading defensive point scorer was Marek Zidlicky. All three of these players were nearing the age of 40. Only five players on the current roster are over the age of thirty, three of whom were on that 2013-14 team. Those players are Travis Zajac, Andy Greene, and Cory Schneider. The fourth is new comers Wayne Simmonds and P.K. Subban.

With the new and younger blood, superstars like Taylor Hall and Subban, there should be no way that these two drastically different teams have similar starts from the gate. So what exactly is it? Is it the coaching? Is it the play itself? Or did the fans think too highly of the roster over haul coming into the season? Here are five specific questions about the early season struggles for the New Jersey Devils.