It hasn't been easy to be a New Jersey Devils fans since Christmas. After one of the most fun months in a long time, the Devils have been dreadful since the holidays. They've gone 6-8-3 since returning from the Christmas break. Only four teams have a worse record in that time, including the lowly San Jose Sharks, who only have four wins in that time with one coming against the Devils.
Yet, it's not panic time yet. If you look at social media, there is a lot of doom and gloom among the fans, as it's hard to see a team this talented continue to play without cohesion and see the losses rack up. However, it's still not time to hit the panic button. There are a few reasons why the Devils can survive until the 4 Nations Face-Off before the worrying should really start.
1. The Devils still hold a lead on everyone
More teams are catching up to the Devils in games played. For most of the season, the Devils have been ahead of every other team in games because of the Global Series that started as much as a week before other teams' seasons began. Now that the schedules are finally starting to align, we're getting a better look at the standings.
While the Columbus Blue Jackets being five points behind the Devils with a game in hand is surprising, it's still just far enough away to not have anyone too worried. The Devils need to avoid the mad dash that is going to be the Wild Card race. Too many teams are going on crazy winning streaks, and the Devils haven't been able to string together four straight yet this season. So, keeping that third spot in the Metropolitan Division is key.
Luckily for the Devils, they really only have to worry about Metro teams, and there will be some pillaging of each other's points. The Devils still have two head-to-head matchups with the Blue Jackets on the schedule. They need to win those games, and the games against the Flyers, Rangers, and Islanders would be helpful.