Well, this hurts. The New Jersey Devils, not 10 years ago, were perennial powerhouses in the East. They never really seemed like they had a bevy of superstars, but they had a functional system based offense and a terrific goaltender. They were solid on defense, and managed to suffocate their opponents. They had Patrik Elias, and he seemed old even then.
Well, Elias is finally gone, and the Devils are no longer any good. The team that once seemed to get the most out of old players squared off against the oldest player in the league tonight. Jaromir Jagr, once a Devil himself, is still kicking, and he plays now for the Florida Panthers, whom you may not recognize, what with their new threads.
The Panthers, much like the Devils of yore have a complete team, marked mostly by their organization and anonymity. The difference is that the Panthers play in Miami, and their anonymity stems from that. They are generally young and have a lot more room to grow if they can keep some of their young talent. If Jaromir Jagr can keep scoring double digit goals in a year, that won’t hurt, certainly, but Florida thrives on their
The Panthers ended up knocking off the Devils 2-1, which was a totally fitting result to a game between these two. Youngster Alexander Barkov ended up getting the game winner in OT in a game they dominated, despite a less than impressive scoreline. They would have won it in regulation if it weren’t for a goal off of PA Parenteau’s leg. Florida and New Jersey have swapped places in the East, and the only way that New Jersey can score now against Florida is accidentally.
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