Game #54 – Devils Lose To Edmonton….No Joke!!

The frustration with the Devils has returned. Actually, that might not be the most accurate statement because I am not sure the frustration ever left, it just became a little less. When your team can put together wins, which they were able to do against Florida, Ottawa and Toronto last week your complaints get a little quieter. When you start losing again, you get a little louder but also the reality of the Devils being an awful team despite the wins last week really sets in. Sure, you can argue the Montreal is one of the elite teams in the East and that the product the Devils put on the ice shouldn’t be able to compete. But the same cannot be said about the Edmonton Oilers. That’s a team the Devils should beat. That’s a team the Devils should put up a decent number of shots against. Instead, the Devils stunk up the joint last night and skated away with nothing to show.

A few more thoughts from last night:

• Adam Oates was brought back to New Jersey because he’s supposed to be some kind of offensive genius. Only putting 14 shots on net against the Edmonton Oilers and Ben Scrivens is downright pathetic. If this is what Lou meant by “offensive genius” I’ll pass and take the next guy who might be a little less of a genius.
• While on the subject of shots, New Jersey’s shot totals didn’t just become garbage. Over their last six games, they’ve averaged just 16.6 shots on net (14, 14, 19, 17, 22, 14). Again, pure offensive genius at work.

• It’s time for the Devils to admit that the contract they paid out to Zajac was the wrong move. He’s paid like a top line center, even though he doesn’t play in that spot but the reality is that he’s nothing more than a 3^rd line center. I’m tired of him misplaying the puck and even more tired of him shooting wide. 8 goals and 10 assists in 46 games at a $5.75 million dollar cap hit is highway robbery.

• Right now I am ready to have a fire sale and just get rid of everyone with the exception of Cory Schneider. He’s allowed 2 goals or less in 12 of 14 games. You can’t ask him to do much more.

• The decisions being made surrounding the power play just confuse me. Jagr just sits on the bench while Jordin Tootoo plays 1:05 with the extra man. Call me stupid but I think Jagr would be a guy I would want out there in favorable situations.

• Peter Harrold and Mark Fraser continue to find their way into the lineup night after night. At least with Fraser you get the occasional fist-a-cuffs but even that isn’t enough to want him out there every night.

• The Devils hit the road and visit Chicago on Friday and Nashville on Saturday. Call me cynic but I’d imagine they return to New Jersey with just as many points as when they left.