These are dire days for the Devils, facing five distant road games with only one soft touch — and even that team has a better record than they do. Returning 3-10-1 from their western tour would start the watch on John MacLean’s short tenure as Devils coach.
Desperation has struck the Devils (2-6-1) before the season is even 10 games old. Stunningly disappointing in their worst start since 1983, they own the worst point percentage in the NHL as they kick off the trip with a visit to the Sharks tomorrow.
There has already been too much controversy and distress with this team that has failed to deliver the massive offense it promised. The Devils’ 1.67 goals-per-game average is the worst in the league. There are too few fluid breakouts, too many chip-outs that don’t produce any possession, let alone attack.
There is far too much of a gap in the defensive zone, the forwards waiting for the defensemen to send them flying with a head start and helping little against opponents, the defensemen unable to pass through foes to forwards hanging too close to the blue line.
There is no conviction in their attack as players like Ilya Kovalchuk dutifully try to resemble muckers and the diggers try to dangle to complement their finesse players.
It’s a mess, and it will take a massive turnaround to scratch out a .500 stretch against Western Conference opponents, which would still only leave them, say, 4-8-2.
After facing the Sharks tomorrow, they visit the Ducks on Friday (their best hope for a win), the Kings on Saturday, the Canucks on Monday and return after invading Chicago a week from tomorrow.
The Devils have spoken of bonding on this trip. The only real issues are staying afloat and finding a successful way to play.
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Blues president John Davidson and general manager Doug Armstrong attended Sunday’s 3-1 loss to the Rangers at the Garden before a league meeting, but one source expects they also were scouting the Devils. No names were named.