The Devils are off to their worst start in 27 years. As far as I’m concerned their 1-4-1 record is an overstatement. They’ve lost five games and haven’t won a game in regulation yet this year. Their inability to score goals is a sign that something is very wrong with this team, and with the talent that was paid for this summer, it’s not pure capabilities.
Kovulchuk is out of place on the right side. He belongs on the left side. The very pretty goal he scored on Friday night came on the left side and involved footwork, stickwork and a slick wrist shot, all from his preferred angle of attack. Part of the reason Kovulchuk is turning the puck over more than shooting it is that he’s not used to that side of the play. Move Elias to right wing (Elias has played all three forward positions, with success, in the last few seasons), and use Parise and Kovulchuk as left wingers. Why is this so hard for Maclean? Is it any wonder the top line isn’t producing?
The power play seems better than last year, but still miserable. If guys are standing around, nothing will happen. You either create space by moving without the puck or create time for the play to develop by moving with it.
Brodeur needs to be told he’s 38 years old and cannot play back to back games. He looked miserable last Saturday night in the second half of a weekender, and he looked just as bad tonight. This is the test of a coach – get Brodeur to behave like a team member and not a spoiled, selfish player.
Light a fire under Langenbrunner to start leading by example, or rip the “C” off his jersey. And trade him. Anywhere for anything, just to remove the cap hit. Josefson was skating with purpose, finishing checks, and moving on every shift. Langenbrunner lollygagged back to the puck during a 5 minute major power play last night. If he’s not going to skate fast and start the play, nobody else will either. Have a closed door meeting. Better yet, just stop the nonsense that started during last year’s playoffs. It’s horrible to watch, and it sends the wrong message to his teammates, the fans, youth hockey players, and just about everyone else.
For all of the ownership’s self-congratulatory noise about their “Jersey Tour” this summer I haven’t seen one thing to improve attendance. Where are the day-game cheap tickets (if there are tickets left for Capitals games, you can buy them for $10 once the puck drops)? Where are the promotions to get first-time fans to the Rock? Where is the fan outreach? Stupid in-game production where fans start cheers are annoying at best, and do nothing to fill the 5,000 empty seats a night. Friday night you had your choice of seats in Section 118. There were maybe 14 people there, and nothing but empty rows above them. What message does it send to the players when they look behind the opposing goalie and see black chair backs?
This season started going down hill when ownership insisted on doing the Kovulchuk deal. Don’t get me wrong; I’m thrilled he’s a Devil and think he’ll gel well with the team over the next few weeks. But running a professional sports team isn’t about doing a “big deal” like a Wall Street bank or law firm. It’s not about attention and being a Master of the Universe. It’s about building a winning team and a winning tradition, so that you have a fan base that passes on loyalty, pride and respect for the team like family heirlooms.
If we’re going to keep Kovulchuk with his $102 million price tag, other players have to go to keep the team balance. That means ownership has to tell Lamariello that White must go, even though White was a big part of two cup teams — 8 seasons ago. White looks miserable next to Taormina. He’s not helping Urbom, and he takes stupid penalties because he’s not in the play quickly or strongly. Ownership has to get Langenbrunner to either step up or step out, because he’s exuding negative leadership. That’s the hard work of running a team, and it’s everything that the big press conferences isn’t. But it’s time the Devils got a team effort from the front office to the box office.
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