New Jersey Devils: This Is Not A Serious Team

We're just going to warn all the readers now. There will be no stats that we'll look up. There is no analysis of the game, except when it comes out of pure and unadulterated anger. This post is to vent. Read on, because we think you need to vent too.

The New Jersey Devils aren't showing up. We mean that in more ways than one. They aren't starting games on time. They've been scored on first in something like 75-80% of the games. It shows, too. They don't have bad luck. They have bad execution. This is a bad team that starts like it thinks the puck drops at 8 p.m.

Not only do they start badly, but they end badly. The Devils have given up so many leads, the opposite of what the team was doing last season. On Thursday night, it was absolutely embarrassing the effort shown in the third period. They allowed three goals in less than two minutes of ice time after starting the period up 3-2.

This is not long after the Devils completely took the third period off against an Anaheim Ducks team that put the team back in it in the second. Michael McLeod scored a goal right before the period ended to send them to the third down by one. They literally got less than .2 xG (a stat to show how many goals they should score according to analytics). That bascially shows they didn't show up at all.

This was a team going into the season with Stanley Cup aspirations. Those are gone. Now, it's looking like a miracle this team even makes the playoffs. They need a ridiculous run. Realistically, they really don't, but the Metropolitan Division is keeping them in the race.

Just think about what this team did in the second period on Thursday night. They came back from a 2-0 deficit, and Timo Meier scored the go-ahead goal. Timo Meier, who has famously been struggling since returning from injury. They did not rally around their fallen star. They turtled in the most pathetic way possible.

This team needs a direction. The defense makes more mistakes than Zach Wilson. The goalies are beyond words with how bad they play. The ESPN broadcast was talking about if a team ever had to pull a goalie twice. This game wasn't worth the price of admission, even when ESPN+ cost $5. Now with the price hike, it's definitely not worth it.

The Oilers should be a similar team to the Devils in terms of gameplay. They both have stars. They both have underachieved, and each team came into the game with a three-game losing streak. One team played like it was desperate for points. The other played like they were happy to be here. Hopefully the Devils aren't happy anymore. The fanbase has lost patience. The building will soon show the frustration with empty seats. It's time to do something. Anything. The players are still in reach.