New Jersey Devils: Is It Really Stanley Cup or Bust?

The New Jersey Devils are riding the hype train hard this season. After a wildly successful season, the trade for Tyler Toffoli, the quick success of Luke Hughes, the long-term signings of Timo Meier and Jesper Bratt, and the assumption that all the young talent will progress forward has some in the national media picking the Devils to win it all.

That noise is clearly getting to the players. Bratt spoke to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman and Jeff Marek while in his home country of Sweden. He talked about a ton of topics, including his contract situation, what he likes to do in Stockholm, and working with a mental coach. He also talked about the Devils’ chances to win the Stanley Cup.

Bratt had an interesting answer when asked about whether it’s “Cup or bust” for the Devils this season.

“It’s always a pressure thing to say Cup or bust because winning the cup is so hard. There’s only one team going there,” Bratt told Friedman and Marek. “We’re still so far away from getting to the end goal.”

We know the Devils are aware that they will get questions about pressure more often than last season. It was magic last season. This season, the Devils are expected to be even better. It’s almost impossible to hit the same point total this season. The Law of Averages says they will face more injuries this year to the top of the lineup. That might drop them in points at least a little, but once the playoffs start, the “Cup or bust” talk starts.

When will it become Cup or bust for this team? It feels like we are a long way from that. The Pittsburgh Penguins are in that realm. The New York Rangers are holding onto contention for dear life. Teams with aging stars are desperate for a Cup. That’s the opposite of the Devils situation.

Most of this team’s core is in their early 20s. Talking about the Stanley Cup still seems preposterous. The Carolina Hurricanes destroyed the Devils (although, as Bratt said, they had a pretty clear advantage with the Devils switching from one series to the other in 30 hours), and they added some pieces this offseason. The Devils made some additions to the roster, but it’s too early to call for a Cup.

We understand why the question is being asked, and so do the players, but it’s way too early to even mention “bust” when it comes to the Cup. The Devils should win one at the very least with this core, but it’s really hard to win a Cup. Think about how many great players are still Cupless from this era. Claude Giroux, Erik Karlsson, and Zach Parise never won a Cup. Now, they are all chasing a Cup with new teams (or possibly retiring without one). Plenty of great teams have to gain that experience before winning it all. Connor McDavid is a great example of a player who can’t get over the hump (which is hardly his fault).

Let’s keep it realistic. If the Devils make the Eastern Conference Finals next season, it’s great progress. Taking this one step at a time is the smartest path forward.