After eleven consecutive years of making the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the New Jersey Devils hopes of making the playoffs this year are in serious question. Goaltender Martin Brodeur has been placed on injured reserve and will be out until February recovering from left elbow surgery. For a goalie that has started on average 73 of 82 games for the Devils in the last ten years, suddenly losing him may cost the team greatly, especially seeing who their backup goalies are.
Kevin Weekes and Scott Clemmensen are now the starters. That’s something no Devils fan can feel comfortable about. While Kevin Weekes has some starting experience in Tampa Bay and Carolina, Scott Clemmensen hasn’t started more than 19 games in his five-year career.
So how does this affect the rest of the eastern conference? Let’s begin in the Atlantic division.
Right now, New Jersey ranks second, right behind the New York Rangers. Don’t be surprised if they slip to #4 by February, and it won’t be because of Brodeur. The Devils are also missing C Bobby Holik with a broken finger, LW Brian Rolston with a sprained ankle, and D Andy Greene with a broken hand. A fully healthy New Jersey team is good enough to challenge for the top spot in the Eastern Conference let alone the Atlantic Division, but they’re missing too many pieces. By February, Sid the Kid and his buddies in Pittsburgh and the Philadelphia Flyers will be second and third respectively in the Atlantic division. Both teams have too much talent not to pass New Jersey while they’re down.
Now moving onto the bigger picture, the Eastern Conference.
While the Devils are tied for sixth with 14 points in the East right now, the ninth place Capitals are only two points behind them. Ottawa, Philadelphia, and Tampa Bay are all team currently out of the playoff picture that are playing well right now too. Every one of these teams is capable of now passing New Jersey if the wheels fall off.
For a team that prides itself in defense and is in the top three in defense almost every year, the New Jersey Devils will more than likely be making a few moves. Chicago and Edmonton are ready to get rid of Nikolai Khabibulin and Dwayne Roloson, both proven starters that would fair better than either New Jersey goalie right now.
GM Lou Lamoriello will also have to think of adding some offensive weapons to take pressure off the defense. He could get involved in the Mats Sundin sweepstakes or even try to lour Brendan Shanahan to the team. Who knows, they could even go after Marian Gaborik from Minnesota, that’s if he ever gets healthy. Whatever he does, it will have to be something, because the Devils are just 26-24-8 (W-L-T) since 2000 without Brodeur.
On a side note, by missing more than half of the season, Brodeur’s mark on history is put on hold. Just five shutouts away from tying Terry Sawchuk’s all time 103 shutouts and seven wins away from tying Patrick Roy’s all time 551 wins, Brodeur may not be able to pass either record this year. His twelve consecutive seasons of winning 30 or more games is in jeopardy as well because he may not even be able to start that many games. And for all of the people who whine and complain about the shootout giving him extra wins…save it. Like it or not, he is still winning the games and will more than likely blow away Roy’s record anyways.
Devil’s Brodeur to have surgery, out 3-4 months [Yahoo! Sports]
more
