Another Slump in the Road, Cormier Hit

Just cringe and grin Devils fans. Although our team’s endured a frustrating three game losing streak, it shouldn’t be anything to truly lament over. No team’s perfect and every team goes through that one slump throughout the season. This should’ve been anticipated long before it actually occurred. Going just .500 in their past ten games, the Devils have surely hit some rough bumps in the road. I think it started when they played the first half of a 4-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning, during which they were losing 3-0 halfway through the second period when the power in half the arena mysteriously shut down. A lack of chemistry, finishing plays, and an overall look of seeming lost are just a few wrongs I’ve noticed as of late. Also, the fact the team’s top scorers in Parise, Rolston, and Bergfors haven’t been producing like they were a few weeks ago and the injury bug’s primary reclamation of Patrik Elias certainly doesn’t help much.

First, the team looks fatigued. Not that it should be used as an excuse for their recent skid, but they’ve played games in eleven days since January second (playing two games over a course of three days). Lamoriello mentioned how the date the remainder of the Lightning game was to be played would be “costly” for the Devils, but I doubt it had that great of an influence on this current slump. While the Devils do look tired out there, you have to ask yourself why this is happening now, since the Devil’s pattern of games and off days has been relatively consistent throughout the season.

With the subject of fatigue still relevant, the only net minder you can hold accountable is Martin Brodeur, whose started in every game since relieving backup Yann Danis after he gave up three goals in one period when the Devils suffered a 5-3 loss to the Dallas Stars on November 21st. Since then, we’ve seen Danis three times, all of which he’s relieved Martin Brodeur after having poor starts of his own. Anyone covering or spectating the Devils or teams they’ve played as of late have all said Brodeur looks tired…and yet he keeps playing. Many Devils fans use the excuses that Marty’s a workhorse or he’s trying to win his thirtieth game of the season behind his frequent play and consecutive starts, which is close to thirty. What I can’t fathom is why Brodeur started both road games against Phoenix and Colorado after playing in two emotional wins against Montreal and the Rangers. Lemaire, who was noted for saying he had no intentions of resting Brodeur before the Olympic Break said the Devils were playing “big game after big game”, a statement that can be challenged. He had no business starting both of those road games and he didn’t have to play against the Islanders. It’s simple logic that any goaltender will inevitably tire out by playing that stretch of games in its entirety. I won’t get sucked into venting on the matter, but I will say Brodeur looks tired as of late and the past 5-7 games should be enough proof to justify that belief.

While production hasn’t been completely bare, the Devils aren’t producing like they normally have this year. Over the past ten games, they’ve scored only twenty goals and were either shutout or unable to score in regulation twice in their last four. While fatigue can be a potential excuse, I think Lemaire’s been doing a little too much line shuffling, whose desperation went to lengths leading to Colin White trying to spark production on the power play. I know I shouldn’t be one to call Lemaire on anything he’s done, but I think he has little patience when his forwards don’t normally produce that he feels the need to immediately start mixing things up. I see it as an either/or strategy in that sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. When it has worked, I think Lemaire’s instilled too much faith in believing a newly assembled trio has the chemistry to produce on a nightly basis when anything they pulled off could have been a fluke or sheer luck. As a result, Lemaire’s deployed some questionable combinations in recent games. I like Dean McAmmond a lot, but think he has no business centering Patrik Elias and Brian Rolston, although those two have been crying for a second line center all season. McAmmond was producing nicely when he played with players like Pelley, Pikkarainen, and even Andrew Peters.

If anything, Lemaire should turn to the lines he had around the time of and after Devil’s eight-game winning streak. Bergfors was developing and producing nicely when he played with Parise and Zajac, as was Vladimir Zharkov when he was with Rolston and Elias. Langenbrunner even continued to produce on the third line with Niedermayer and Pandolfo, whose offensive production only strengthened the line’s quality when their defensive play is considered. If a line is having a bad game, it’s acceptable to mix things up, but there’s no need to ban the initial combination from playing together again. If a line’s produced sufficiently in the past, as the ones mentioned above did, that should be more than enough justification to prove itself as a suitable offensive force.

Overall, if the Devils are going to slump, I say now’s a better time than any. The built enough momentum to give them a sizable cushion in the division and conference standings, which they’re using up quickly, the Olympic Break is right around the corner, so if the Devils continue their sloppy play going into it, perhaps a change of scenery can benefit the team, and although it isn’t what Lou likes to do, the Devils are still able to trade for new assets, and believe when I say this ten game stretch has exploited the team’s weaknesses through exposing their lineup needs. There’s still half a season left, where anything can happen. One way or another, I’m sure the Devils will knock themselves out of this funk and continue doing business as usual.

In response to the Patrice Cormier hit, I have to say it was one of the most malicious, blatant, and disturbing incidents I’ve seen transpire on ice. I sometimes try to sympathize with the offender and have the situation’s critics truly ask themselves if they believe he went into that game or play with the primary intentions to injure the situation’s victim. Considering Cormier’s realized reputation and the nature of this incident, it’s hard to ask such a question. There’s definitely no place in hockey for that kind of play and I agree a disciplinary punishment should be enforced on Cormier, whose reputation may have taken a hit he might be unable to recover from. Any situation like this will be an uneasy one, which holds a bit of a double standard. If you eject this kid from the league he’s in (QMJHL), how can you justify that action when players like Chris Pronger, Todd Bertuzzi, and Chris Simon were given second chances after their actions in the NHL? Then, there are those that say Cormier is an example of the term “if you let him play, he’ll continue doing what he’s doing until he seriously injures somebody” and that things won’t change if he’s let off now. Personally, I think this is a touchy and complicated subject to discuss and while I tried not to give too much opinionated insight on the incident, I more so tried to explain the potential origins behind the common viewpoints it may behold.

Per Tom Gulitti, he reported Patrik Elias is experiencing concussion-like symptoms after being hit by Colorado’s Ryan Wilson. Elias was recommended to avoid physical activity until his symptoms subside, and will be evaluated by doctors some time this week. It appears Elias might have suffered a slight concussion and if his symptoms subside by the end of the week, I’m assuming he’ll be out an extra week to ten days at most. Elias wasn’t seriously injured with his hospital scans all being negative and it looks like Elias, his doctors, and the Devils are just trying to play it safe.