Smell of Sulphur At The Top

You probably could have predicted that Martin Brodeur would smash Terry Sawchuk's all-time shutouts record by Christmas.

After all, the game's best goaltender only needed three whitewashes to finish off his assault on Sawchuk's long-standing mark. Heck, if Brodeur hadn't missed several months last season with a bicep injury, the record would have been broken a long time ago.

But what most couldn't have predicted - in fact nobody did - is that the Devils would be the best team in the NHL by the time Santa comes down the chimney. A 4-0 pounding of the defending champion Pittsburgh Penguins last night gave Brodeur another record - what more does he have to play for? - and put the Devils three points clear of the Washington Capitals in the Eastern Conference and four points up on the Western Conference-leading Chicago Blackhawks.

A league-best 13-2-1 road record has fueled Jersey's rise to the top, as has the return of former head coach Jacques Lemaire, who replaced Brent Sutter after Sutter bolted to Alberta and has once again made the Devils hockey's stingiest team (well, second stingiest, behind Chicago). Under Lemaire, the Devils have shaved almost a half-goal off their defensive record compared to last year under Sutter.

While many are suggesting Buffalo goalie Ryan Miller will be the star of Team USA at the Vancouver Olympics, not enough are considering the potential impact of Devils forward Zach Parise, currently sixth in NHL scoring and quickly becoming the best forward ever drafted and developed by Lou Lamoriello.

Winger Niclas Bergfors is second among all rookie scorers, but the Devils have also received contributions from relatively anonymous types like Vladimir Zharkov, Ilkka Pikkarainen, Tyler Eckford, Pierre-Luc Letourneau Leblond and Matthew Corrente.

The Devils the team nobody talked about last summer or earlier this fall, are back on top.

Notes: In the west, no team is falling faster than the Columbus Blue Jackets, and speculation is starting to mount about Ken Hitchcock's job status.  That seems a bit ridiculous. . .In the east, Philly has lost 14 of 17 and you have to wonder how many players off a team that seems to be rotting inside will Steve Yzerman want on Team Canada? Chris Pronger, Mike Richards and Jeff Carter are the key candidates, but Richards and Carter are really struggling offensively.

Comments

[Marijan Kalman]

Stingiest team, is this new term for most disastrous application of TRAP or is this Shakespearean term for boring beyond believable!!Record where 92% of wins are in Eastern Conf. where there are 2 decent teams in last 20 years!!
How many Olympic Gold's, Hart's and Vezina's he won when Hasek was playing!!NONE!

[nugentmania]

I know he doesn't "coach" a pretty game, but it would seem with Lemaire back behind the bench the Devils are legitimate threats to take the eastern conference. I'm sure Scott Niedermayer controls where he can be traded, so I wouldn't be surprised to see him back in NJ at the trade deadline, if the Ducks remain in the western basement.

[bobbyshow]

Just imagine where Brodeur would be if that infernal trapezoid had never been added.

[Bill-in-NJ]

Damian, your points are well taken. It amazes me how the Devils continue to win on a consistent basis without overspending for big name free agents. The Rangers continue to squander and overpay for overrated and underachieving performers (see Scott Gomez, Chris Drury, wade redden (ok I’ll stop).

However, what is equally amazing is that nobody shows up at Devil's games. I have attended a number of home games on weekday nights, the building is 2/3 empty…don't believe the attendance numbers reported by the team because its fiction.

The only time that building is sold out is when the Rangers visit. Ownership said that once they move to Newark, their attendance would go up significantly. It’s not happening. There are still too many Rangers fans throughout New Jersey whose kids are growing up Ranger fans. The Devils will always play second fiddle to the Rangers no matter how many Cups it wins.

[CB]

umm...gold in 2002? check. and how many cups did he win when hasek was playing? three.

as for attendance, yes, they still struggle a bit, but i believe you overstate the case. figures are vastly improved over the meadowlands days, and their numbers go up with each season.

and as for the undying myth of the trapping devils, people, this is not 1998 anymore. the devils stopped playing the true trap long ago. now what they do is simp-le play excellent defense. and win. alot.

to those knocking the devils and their 'boring' style, all i say is watch a game with an open mind. they play some of the most exciting hockey in the league. you will be pleasantly surprised.

cheers

[Mike D]

This Ranger Fan is over-stating the lack of attendance.
It is fair to say weeknight games before Christmas are 2/3 full but after the new year they do increase. he is correct about second fiddle in the NY media. They surprisingly interviewed Marty on a radio station yesterday and fixated on his negative moments (Rangers 94)(Carolina last year)(cup final against Roy)or mentioned them in passing as the they congratulated him. There is a tremendous Media bias against the Devils in NY controlled ranger media. Heck thier TV coverage is by MSG! They get very fair coverage in Philly and Boston media. Philly is a knoledgable and maybe the most knowlegdeable Hockey Fan Base in the east and they know the Devs don't stink and aren't inferior and they are not threatened by thier existance. This NY bias is a crime. Thanks to real Hocket journalist like yourself you recognize lou's and his teams life work.

[JP]

Hasek played 5 games in the NHL in '90, 20 in '91 and was Buffalo's starting goaltender by '93. He retired in 2008.

During that time, Marty accomplished the following:
3 Stanley Cups ('95, 2000, 2003)
4 Vezina Trophies ('03, '04, '07, '08)
Calder Trophy ('94)
4 Jennings Trophies ('97, '98, '03, '04)
Played in 10 All-Star games and named to the 1st All-Star team 3 times, 2nd All-Star team 4 times
1 Olympic Gold medal (2002, Salt Lake City).

What impact, exactly, was the first poster implying Hasek had on Brodeur's career? Comedic relief?