Photo by Len Redkoles/NHLI via Getty Images
Yesterday, I wrote at length about the many New Jersey Devils players within the organization who will become free agents this Summer. With 14 pending restricted free agents and 9 pending unrestricted free agents, General Manager Tom Fitzgerald will need to make some difficult decisions in terms of the roster. While most of those pending RFAs will return, how much and how long their new contracts will be of a concern for the near future. I would go as far as to say that
next Summer should be in Fitzgerald’s mind when he makes any signing, minor, cheap, or otherwise. This is because the 2022 offseason could end up being one of the most expensive in recent franchise history.
Photo by Len Redkoles/NHLI via Getty Images
Mythbusters was a rather popular show about people taking myths and determining whether they were actually true or not through experimentation. Among its contributions is this brilliant line by one of the hosts, Adam Savage: “Failure is always an option.” Savage has explained that it is more than a cute line. It described the show’s approach to the scientific method. That it is possible that whatever you try will not work and one must know that. This tagline is also the best way I can charitably sum up the mindset of every pessimistic sports fan of their favorite team. It is also how I am approaching this post. The optimists had their time in the Sun yesterday. Today, it is time for the other side. One that can reasonably argue that the 2021-22 Devils can be a Bad Team just like they were last season.
Photo by Len Redkoles/NHLI via Getty Images
After months of uncertainty and planning, the National Hockey League announced a 56-game regular season to begin in January and end in early May. Teams had to carry taxi squads of players to account for injured players and those affected by the Coronavirus. A COVID-19 protocol was implemented and, if need be, games could be re-scheduled as needed. All games would be played within a team’s division along with the first two rounds of the playoffs. The goal was simple: Have a truncated, compressed season to set up a full Stanley Cup Playoffs tournament. Then hope things would get better enough to have a full and more normal 2021-22 season in the Fall.
Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images
Tonight was the final game of the 2021 season for the New Jersey Devils and the Philadelphia Flyers. Outside of odds for the 2021 NHL Draft Lottery, this game had no real meaning beyond it being the 56th and final game of the season for both. To a player, this was a game where they could make one last good impression for their next contract. But the game was otherwise an obligation. Yet, the Devils managed to do what they have done throughout most of the season and disappoint the fans who paid attention to it anyway. The Devils lost their last game of the season 2-4. As usual, it is not so much that they lost that is the issue, but how it happened.
Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images
If March was a tough month for the New Jersey Devils, then April was an absolute nightmarish month. They began the month to turn their shootout loss at Boston on March 13 into a four-game winless streak. After winning a game, they lost ten in a row. The Devils went into the final week of their month of 16 games with just one win in April. One. And it was on the road in Western New York. At least the Devils picked up a second and third win in April before April ended. It does not take away much of the pain that comes with a 3-11-2 month. They earned eight points; only two teams in the league finished with fewer points in April. And one of those two teams was Vancouver, who only played seven games due to the Coronavirus. It was a horrible month for the Devils.