Mercifully, New Jersey Devils End Their Season With A Thud

The New Jersey Devils had one of many worst seasons in franchise historical past. No, critically. In 2020, I known as that the worst season of all time. If solely I knew what was to come back simply two years later. Yeah, that yr was horrible. We fired a coach and GM, traded our star participant, misplaced Blake Coleman, moved our captain for a draft decide, watched Jack Hughes wrestle to deal with the NHL, and our goalie state of affairs fell aside. This season is undoubtedly worse even when it comes with extra hope for the longer term.

The precise season was impossibly dangerous. Let’s begin with the goalie state of affairs. We began with Mackenzie Blackwood and Jonathan Bernier. We lastly fastened goaltending. If Blackwood struggles, Bernier has a protracted historical past of success. Plus, he received’t retire. That’s a significant plus. Welp, Bernier’s season was over by the primary week of December. Then, the Devils leaned all the best way in on Blackwood, and his injured heel lastly gave out in January.

Scott Wedgewood was claimed by the Arizona Coyotes off waivers on November 4th, lower than a month earlier than Bernier’s ultimate recreation of the season. As a substitute, the Devils traded future concerns for Jon Gillies. They traded for Andrew Hammond, and so they compelled Nico Daws and Akira Schmid to play within the NHL earlier than they have been prepared.

It’s only a microcosm of the season. It was a season the place the Devils received simply 27 out of 82 video games. The final time when the Devils misplaced 55 video games in a season was 1984, the Devils’ second season in New Jersey. They misplaced another recreation than the Devils did this season. It was a pathetic efficiency that proves to be all-time low for this fanbase.

It’s not all-time low for the entrance workplace. They’ll blame accidents and issues outdoors of their management. How can a group win with a carousel of AHL goalies within the NHL? There may be loads of blame outdoors the goaltending state of affairs. The teaching employees didn’t do practically sufficient to repair the Devils’ transgressions, which embrace a baffling sophomore stoop from Ty Smith, the worst energy play within the league (the shorthanded objectives imply extra to us than PP%), drop-offs from Michael McLeod, Janne Kuokkanen, and others, whereas additionally blowing leads too usually. Typically massive leads.

The New Jersey Devils season ended on a six-game shedding streak. It was their third six-game shedding streak of the season. They simply couldn’t cease the losses from coming in bunches. There was no stopping the dangerous occasions.

On prime of the losses, the accidents made the product near-unwatchable at occasions. We introduced up the goalies, however that simply scratches the floor. Jack Hughes had two main accidents, though the second was most likely only a precaution greater than an precise harm. Dougie Hamilton broke his jaw in his first season with the Devils. Miles Wooden solely performed three video games this season after a hip surgical procedure. Jonas Siegenthaler ended the season with a damaged hand. Nearly everybody missed per week right here or there. It felt just like the Devils by no means had a full lineup.

Modifications should come this offseason. The Devils can’t go into subsequent season with the identical teaching employees and the identical roster. One thing concerning the definition of loopy comes into play right here. The Devils season is over, and it’s unhappy. It’s not unhappy as a result of it’s over, however it’s unhappy as a result of we’re not unhappy it’s over. We simply wanted it to finish. It was fixed distress. It was 55 days of disappointment. It’s time to rejoice the Devils trying to defend their offseason championship whereas others play for the true factor.