Jersey Jay: Brodeur goes out, Offense goes South???
November 12, 2008 by Jayson Saikaley
Filed under NHL Hockey, New Jersey Devils
For my inaugural New Jersey Devils post I have to touch the most obvious topic of conversation that has haunted Newark since the beginning of this campaign and that is the injury to Martin Brodeur.
When the NHL’s best goalie of all time goes down with an injury you figure your team is going to hurt and lose 5-4, 6-5, 7-4 you know those sort of scores, but to be losing games 2-1 is inexcusable! only scoring 2 goals in 3 games with Brodeur in the nets is not going to get you many wins either, so what is wrong with Elias, Gionta, Zubruis, Langenbrunner, Zajac, Madden, and Pandolfo??? Parise is trying to carry this ship but can not do it all on his own even though he has 11 goals in 14 games so far this season. Besides Gionta these names I have listed have all been part of the line up and have not been affected by the injury demon that has possessed the Devils thus far and have not produced.
Is it time for changes in New Jersey or should they whether the storm? If you have been watching them like I have you would have to say to stay the course, the team has just been snake bitten lately and Weekes and Clemenson have played well in Marty’s absence. The effort from the whole team has certainly been there and if they ever start getting some puck luck they should get back on track. The big question for the Devils is how they react to the soft goals that Weekes and Clemmer will inevitably let in, as this organization has been spoiled by Brodeur’s solid play for so many years. Does Lou shop for a goalie? Not likely I don’t think he will because there just isn’t much out there with their cap space available and the goalies so far have not been the problem, to be honest this all falls on the offense. So does he shop for offense? NO, On paper this team has a pretty good line up and as players return from injuries it should inject a spark to the offense and who knows how much better they will get.
When Marty first went down I went through the shocked stage and then I stopped and had a good long look at this potential blessing from below….hear me out… In order for the Devils now to compete for a playoff spot they are going to have to start scoring some goals, which should improve the overall confidence of the team moving forward and teach them not to rely on Marty so much. The next point which is overlooked is the injection the team will get when he returns with the race for the playoffs and the record books all bundled up together, and not to forget how RESTED he will be and how fresh he will be, which has been the major knock on Brodeur the past 4 years with his 70 plus games per season. If Marc Andre Fleury can come back after an extended lay off and take his team to the Stanley Cup Finals then why can’t the Greatest Goalie of all time???
The Devils sole mission over the next 4 months….. TREAD WATER UNTIL EVERYONE RETURNS!!!!
Jersey Jay…..aka Jayson Saikaley
Upcoming games
Fri Nov 14, Devils @ Capitals 7:00 PM
Sat Nov 15, Capitals @ Devils 7:00 PM
Thu Nov 20, Panthers @ Devils 7:00 PM
Fri Nov 21, Islanders @ Devils 7:00 PM
Sun Nov 23, Devils @ Lightning 5:00 PM
Wed Nov 26, Devils @ Panthers 7:30 PM
Sat Nov 29, Devils @ Penguins 7:30 PM
Last post (s) by Jayson Saikaley
- Jersey Jay: Devils Split Weekend Series - December 14th, 2008
- Black & Powder Blue: Monday Night Monsters!! - December 9th, 2008
- Black & Powder Blue: Monday Night Showdown - December 7th, 2008
- Jersey Jay: Elias continues his overtime magic! - December 4th, 2008
- Jersey Jay: 21 Goals in the last 4 Games?? - November 24th, 2008
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November 12th, 2008 at 4:25 pm
maybe i’ve been asleep but when have the devils really ever been a offensive team ?
November 12th, 2008 at 11:36 pm
Jay - They looked awful tonight and I wonder at what point Lou goes out and gets a guy like Rolosson?
November 13th, 2008 at 4:54 am
3 out of the 4 goals in the 2nd period Brodeur may not have stopped so I still don’t think that goaltending is the problem yet. Injuries and lack of confidence on offense is the Devils main problem at this point. I imagine they will sink to the bottom of the East before they turn it around. The coaching staff is too good for this team to dissapear altogether. JerseyJay
November 13th, 2008 at 4:56 am
True but 1 goal a game is not going to cut it without Brodeur! On paper the Devils have a decent offense. It may be time to shop Gionta perhaps a change of scenery will help him.
November 13th, 2008 at 5:16 am
Hard to suddenly be something they haven’t been. This is show just how much marty means to them and this team. I would say it’s getting time to draft or have somebody at the ready for when he does hang up the skates.
It could be just as ugly then as it is now for this injury.
November 13th, 2008 at 6:44 am
The thing that gets me the most is the NHL thought that Sid the Kid was the MVP last season and not Marty??? When Sid went out the Penguins still fared well enough to keep the ship going forward. Marty goes out and it looks like the end of the world. Martin Brodeur has been robbed by the NHL for Vezina’s in the past (not the last 4 years) and the fact he is going to go down as the greatest goalie of all time and not ever win an MVP just makes the NHL voters look CLUELESS!!!! case in point 1-4 without him! Crosby’s MVP last season was for marketing purposes only!!!
November 13th, 2008 at 8:21 am
“When the NHL’s best goalie of all time goes down”
Not in my books. Game 7 Stanley cup finals I would take Hasek over Marty without thinking…and I likely would take Roy before him as well.
November 13th, 2008 at 8:26 am
I agree Sandy, Marty is a hell of a goalie but the one i would take first.
November 13th, 2008 at 8:26 am
not the one i would take first*
November 13th, 2008 at 9:09 am
Hasek??? what did he ever win before going to an absolutly stacked team in Detroit?? WOW and Roy?? He had to switch teams to get his 3rd as well! International Play Brodeur brought Canada what Roy couldnt and thats the Gold Medal!!!
November 13th, 2008 at 9:11 am
So who would you take? Hasek and his groin or Roy and his attitude?? or maybe Luongo who everyone as annoited the best ever already and has won nothing! Brodeur is CLASS, and Brodeur is LOYAL and by the end of this season there will not be a record he will not hold…
November 13th, 2008 at 9:17 am
if it’s all time
I go Dryden, Roy, Parent, Brodeur, & Terry Sawchuk as my top 5
And being a flyers fan has nothing to do with this or any bias this is just me as a hockey fan and only having scene Roy and Brodeur live and the others on tape.
November 13th, 2008 at 9:22 am
International play Hasek beat a very very good Canadian teamm all on his own.
Hasek also took a very normal limited talent Sabres team to the finals. Hasek was unreal in the 90’s and dominated the game like no goalie I have ever watched. Hell he won back to back Heart trophies 95-95/96-97…how many times did Marty win that award?
from the 93-94 season until the 01-02 season Hasek faced 1,060 more shots than Marty and allowed 135 fewer goals.
You can say Hasek didn’t win a cup until he played on a very good Wings team but lets not forget who stood in front of Marty when he won his cups in NJ. That blueline was world class with the likes of Stevens and Niedermayer add to the fact they played the wonderful trap…..come on. I don’t think Marty leafs that Sabres team to the cup final myself.
November 13th, 2008 at 9:25 am
Not having Hasek in your top 5 is nuts James.
You can dislike Hasek all you want but dude flat out stopped the puck. Sure he was a pain in the ass but who cares when he did what he did….you really are going to bring up his groin? Jason you must of been sleeping during the 90’s because Hasek was all people talked about not Marty.
November 13th, 2008 at 9:25 am
i know its late but Welcome Aboard Jayson, even though your a devils fan, haha !
November 13th, 2008 at 9:26 am
I dont dislike him i enjoyed watching him play but for me does not crack my top 5 that’s just my opinion Sandy.
November 13th, 2008 at 9:28 am
fair enough James…well at least you left Hextall off the list
November 13th, 2008 at 9:29 am
Well if we were talking best fighting goalies with anger issues then who was better then Hexy ?
November 13th, 2008 at 9:29 am
After all even Brodeur considers hextall and inspiration with how he learned to stick handle.
November 13th, 2008 at 9:33 am
and lets be honest..when you were a kid and decided to play net for the day when playing road hockey, who didn’t pretend they were Hextall? I know I did..slashing the back of my buddies legs as they ran past, trying to fire at open nets from my own end, making sure I was the guy to start the brawl…..
November 13th, 2008 at 9:37 am
haha, hexy is beyond loved here in philly……….hexy, propp, poulin, howe, kerr, & many more are the reason i love the sport and the flyers.
since then it’s just grown to enjoying to watch so many other players and growing dislike for the devils, rangers, pens, & sabers. i cant say i dont like the habs because i was even born yet when they had the good rivalry going with the flyers, same goes for the bruins and flyers all that was over before i was born or at least started to die down.
November 13th, 2008 at 10:08 am
Richter > Brodeur
Okay in all seriousness I think you’re selling Hasek a little short Jayson, putting too much emphasis on what he was in the last few years of his career compared to what he was in the late 90s. Over the stretch of their careers, Brodeur was more consistent, and after watching him consistently dominate the East, I would put him in my Top 5 goalies of all time, but probably behind Roy.
But in a Game 7, in the prime of their careers, I’d take Hasek over Brodeur. Sorry but while Brodeur will keep your team in every game despite the competition, Hasek will carry you to a win. And as Sandy pointed out, he didn’t have Steven or Scott N skating in front of him.
November 13th, 2008 at 10:09 am
Stevens*
November 13th, 2008 at 11:21 am
I love that comment about how Hasek did so much for Buffalo! they went NOWHERE and did NOTHING!! and Brodeur beat him head to head in the playoffs. NOBODY gave the Devils a chance in 1995 and he did it and if not for a hit post in 93-94 possibly back to back as well. Game 7 in 2003 He shut out the hottest goalie of the season and they robbed him of the Conn Smythe. The league and naysayers always down play Brodeurs accomplishments but if not for Mr. Brodeur and his puck handling skills Team Canada would have never have won GOLD!
November 13th, 2008 at 11:25 am
But do you not agree that Brodeur should have not won the MVP last season over Crosby? I still dont agree with you on Hasek yes he was exciting to watch and stole his share of games but Brodeur has been a pillar of consistancy and has carried the Devils on his back for years and will shatter all of Mr. Roy’s records.