Good evening from the Prudential Center. It’s the final Pre-season game of the year, and the roster has been chopped to 29. Some of the remaining questions of training camp will be answered tonight, like which of the younger players will step-in to replace the free agents lost over the summer, will the return of Jacques Lemaire come with the return of the Cup, and and just exactly what will Rob Niedermayer’s role be in the clubhouse with dynamo leaders like Langenbrunner and Shanahan?

A couple of things are already set in stone: Martin Brodeur is back with more record to set, the ZZ Pop line has the potential to be just as explosive as last season, and the defense will be increasingly solid as the season moves foreward.

The Islanders are playing John Tavares tonight, and the first pick in this year’s entry draft has a lot of pressure to turn around a franchise that has so many years and so much money invested in a goaltender that may not see a third of a season’s action for what feels like the seventh year in a row (Rick “DNP” DiPietro).

Here are some thoughts on the upcoming season based on what I’ve seen so far:

1. Zajac might eclipse Parise in scoring this season. The improvement Zajac made last season has been built upon, and he could have a breakout season, which is completely opposite of my second thought…

2. Scoring is going to be way down this season. We’ve been sold that Lemaire isnot going to be the defensive megalomaniac that he was last go round, but you  can already tell that the offensive firepower will not be the priority of this club this year, which may be because…

3. Brodeur could see a drop off this season. The man has only a few more records to break, and though we know he still has a desire to play and play at a high level, does he still have the desire to be Martin Brodeur? The signing of Yann Danis, who blanked the Devils last season for the Isles, was no mistake, and not necessarily a response to Kevin Weekes and Scott Clemmensen leaving… remember, Weekes was still on the roster when Danis signed.

4. Big moves will be made this season. Whether before the trade deadline, or a surprise move early, I believe the Devils are shopping their players and for players. Brent Sutter had just enough time to mold the team in his liking before he jumped ship. With a different regime, and a possible salary cap reduction pending, there may be some serious money moved before we say goodnight.

5. Cory Murphy will make an impact this season. The Devils have been missing a true power play point man to compliment Paul Martin for a while. Clarkson said after the first pre-season game that he was very impressed with Murphy’s power play acumen. Murphy has been in the system for a while, and this may be the year when he joins the big leagues and makes his name known.

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The Gio Tracker is no more.

I know Brian Gionta was too expensive, Lou knows Gionta was too expensive, we all know Brian Gionta was too expensive.

That doesn’t make me any happier about him leaving for the Habs. Gio will be reunited with Scott I-Can-Like-Him-A-Little-More-Now-Because-He’s-Not-A-Ranger Gomez, giving the team a little lift with players who at least know they can play together (and without organized crime ties. A bonus!).

Losing Gionta, Mike Rupp, Kevin Weekes, Scott Clemmensen and John Madden will definitely change the make-up of the team. This gives a lot of opportunity for younger players to move up in the ranks, and it does clear future cap room, even if the cap does decrease in 2010 (more on that in another blog). But there could be quite the learning curve this upcoming season.

Be sure to check back when pre-season begins, because someone is going to have to identify all of the new faces in the locker room!

And, just one last time…

Gio Tracker!

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The Good, The Bad and the Jussi:

So, here’s the good news: The Devils are 9-1 this season in the first game home from a road trip of two or more games.

The bad news: That one loss came against Carolina.

The good news is Andy Greene and Bobby Holik are in the lineup this evening.

The bad news is Bryce Salvydor and Jamie Langenbrunner are not (again).

The good news is Martin Brodeur is ticked off about the last-second goal in game four.

The bad news is no one else seems to be (maybe becuase it was the right call, but that’s just a thought).

Tonight’s game five against the Carolina Hurricanes seems to be ripe with cliche’s. I did five interviews this morning, and nothing really stood out except for Scott Clemmensen dripping sweat on me. These guys are in media-damage-control, hoping they pull out of the ”we play 25 minutes of good hockey and hope for the best” trend that’s been going on for the past few weeks before their season is over.

Carolina is a good team, a physical team, and a younger team. Patrik Elias is quietly getting shoved around out there. Cam Ward is playing very well, and more importantly, playing very well when the team needs him to. Martin Brodeur may be showing that he has lost a step in the months he was out of the game. It is very possible. He’s still capable of winning multiple playoff series, but just not by himself anymore.

So where does this leave the Devils for tonight? It leaves them with a lot of questions about who is going to step up, who is going to sacrifice themselves to keep the puck away from Marty and who wants to win more.

Here’s some keys to tonight’s game for the Devils:

1. Shot blocking- Standing out and swinging your stick at pucks isn’t going to get the job done at this time of the year. Lay down and keep the puck from reaching Brodeur. There’s some thought that a Devil tipped in the final goal on Tuesday… that should not happen.

2. Production from the 2nd line- Patrik Elias had a killer season very quietly, and now he’s having a very quiet post season. Not what keeps the Devils in the hunt. The Zubrus-Elias-Gionta line needs to provide some scoring for the team. Asking the first line to do it all isn’t helping anyone. Zubrus needs to pick it up big-time; he may be the (biggest) weakest link in that chain.

3. Channeling Marty’s Anger- Brodeur is STILL hot about that call on Tuesday, one of my peers in the pressbox saying he called it the “worst call in hockey history.” Instead of complaining to the refs, take it out on the Canes! The Devils need to use Marty’s anger to fuel the team, find some inner energy. The thing about a core of veterans is that they’ve been here before. They’re not phased by the playoffs, no matter what they say. unlike younger guys who are jazzed to be in the post-season. There are a lot of well-paid veterans, many of whom have their Stanley Cup rings, who might be fine with another extended golf season. But that’s not fair to the fans and the players on the team who still have yet to sip champagne from el grande punch bowl.

Game five might as well be game one in a best of three series. Tonight we shall see if the Devils are ready to fight for the next round.

Posted under Notes and Musings

Martin Brodeur was activated today, and Scott Clemmensen was sent down to the Lowell affiliate, clearing the way for Marty to start in goal tomorrow night against the Colorado Avalanche.
I’ll be at morning skate tomorrow, along with hoards of other media outlets, to talk to Marty about being back, Scott’s misfortune, and the three games in four days in this homestand.

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First and most importantly, the return of the….

Gio Tracker!

Gio Tracker! Brian Gionta scored a shorthanded goal Friday night against the Atlanta Thrashers in “Revenge of the Worst Hockey Game Ever,” at 8:08 of the third period. The Devils won 5-1 infront of a very solid Kevin Weekes, raising the Gio Tracker stats to 11 wins in the 12 games that Gionta has scored a goal. The current GT winning percentage is: 91.7%. 

In other news, Colin White will not play tonight against the L.A. Kings after taking a shot to the left hand during last night’s win. He missed the second and third period, and it is possible that he may have a broken hand. Jay Leach skated during warm ups, indicating he may replace White in the line-up tonight.

Speaking of Leach, a Trenton Devils alum, another reminder to check out my interview with T-Devs beat reporter Mike Ashmore. Learn about the players like Leach who are trying to work their way up to the big game.

The Devils defeated the Kings in January, 5-1, in Los Angeles to begin a six-game road trip. Scott Clemmensen got win, and New Jersey scored three power play goals (Zajac, Elias, Rolston) in seven attempts.

While the Devils were crushing the Thrashers last night, the cross-Hudson rivals were also getting their rear ends handed to them. Dallas put a 10-2 beating on the Rangers, who were without Henrik Lundqvist, on a night where rumors were afloat that despised forward Sean Avery would be placed on waivers by the Stars and claimed by the Rangers. Personally, I find it disturbing that someone with so little respect for the game would get yet another chance, but it may work out for the best for the Devils. Avery is known as a locker room cancer, being a pest not just on the ice surface. The Rangers are struggling for offense, and Avery, who is completing anger management therapy, truly had only one tremendous goal scoring season.

Another concern for New York would be whose responsibility it would be to keep Avery in check. During his last stint with the Rangers, and partially while in Detroit, Brendan Shanahan was a calming influence on the volitile Avery. With Shanny now with the Devils, who will take that role? Chris Drury doesn’t seem like the type to want to deal with the drama… Is a mediocre player worth this much trouble?

Shanahan, on the other hand, has completely endeared himself to his teammates (as if he hadn’t already) by tussling with Eric Boulton of Atlanta in the first period. Mike Rupp was going to take the offense for a cross-check on Shanny, but the vet went to bat for himself. After watching Shanahan in his first few games with the Devils, you could tell he was looking to take on someone, and I’m glad he finally had the chance. If no one signed me for half the season and I was still an elite player, I’d want to hit someone, too.

Heard at the media dinner table before the game against L.A.: Trade rumors- Chris Pronger to the Devils? Brian Gionta to someone? Kevin Weekes to the Islanders? … Much speculation on the ration of time spent covering Alex Rodriguez’ steroid use versus the Devils’ success. Best guess is estimated to be 12 days of A-Rod, 5 minutes of Devils. Ah, the anonymity of the NHL.

Check out http://www.nysportsday.com for my game story on New Jersey vs. Los Angeles.

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