Ushering in a New Generation: New Jersey Devils

In our newest feature, Ushering in a New Generation, our talented writer Katlyn Gambill takes a deeper look into team success based on a player’s age. Today, she looks at the New Jersey Devils, who are for the eighth oldest team in the league.

Lou Lamoriello’s New Jersey Devils are the eighth oldest team, with an average age of 27.92 years.  Though the Devils are on the older side of the NHL, their young talent is often the focus of many fans.

The dynamic young duo of Zach Parise (25 years) and Travis Zajac (24 years) lead the Devils offense.

Parise, a player who can score even without his centerman Zajac, strives for success with fellow winger Jamie Langenbrunner (33 years). This line of Parise-Zajac-Langenbrunner earned the nickname ZZ Pops a few seasons ago.

Langenbrunner, known as “Pops” on the top line, became a new player when he started skating with the two young guys. Langenbrunner’s experience largely contributed to Parise and Zajac maturity and success thus far.

Before the addition of Ilya Kovalchuk (26 years), Parise led the team in goals, assists, points, plus/minus, and shots. The American left winger showcased his talent in the Olympics, letting the world see his ability. Fortunately, the Devils, like most teams, have success even without their top forward (and his line).

Among the rest of the offense, Patrik Elias (32 years) and Kovalchuk help out as well. Kovalchuk’s tenure with the Devils is still young, and at the moment his offense production (for the Devils) appears average. However, after he adjusts to the Devils and their system, his offensive numbers will likely soar.

On the other hand, Elias, one of the few Devils who began and will seemingly end his career as a Devils, is on pace for an average season overall. Elias, who has 11 goals and 20 assists, has five less goals than his worst offensive season (the year he returned after his battle with Hepatitis A).

Elias’ play, hindered by a concussion when he was knocked unconscious in Colorado, is not on par with his usual ability.

Unlike Elias and Kovalchuk, David Clarkson doesn’t influence a game through his offense. Now, I am not to saying Clarkson lacks offensive contribution offense, because he chips in with regularity, but his real impact comes from his grit and intensity.

That grit and intensity largely disappeared from the Devils’ game when Clarkson injured his ankle while blocking a shot back in November. He returned for two games at the end of December, but his injury pushed him back out of the lineup.

The Olympic break helped Clarkson, and he played in the Devils’ first game on Tuesday. His physical play and dedication will no doubt help the Devils down the stretch run.

The elder statesmen on the team, Rob Niedermayer (35 years), Jay Pandolfo (35), and Dean McAmmond (36 years) appear out of place in the Devils lineup. Their contributions may be few on the score sheet, but the three men provide the necessary experience to help mature the likes of Vladimir Zharkov (22 years), Rod Pelley (25 years) and the various Lowell Devils (AHL Affiliate of the Devils) that come into the lineup throughout the season.

Regardless of their offensive prowess among their young guys, the Devils rely on their defense and, of course, goaltender Martin Brodeur to win games.

The problem with their defense began early in the season, when after a strong overall start the Devils witnessed star defenseman Paul Martin (29) fall to a broken wrist.

The original diagnosis said Martin would only miss at most six week, and surgery was unnecessary. Then, just days before Christmas, the defenseman suffered a setback, and underwent surgery.

It’s March now, and Martin missed the Olympics and 54 games. He finally started shooting pucks, and will hopefully return to the Devils lineup before the playoffs.

Many worried about the Devils’ ability to survive without Martin, as the rest of their defense corp appears “average,” but Andy Greene stepped up his play and took over Martin’s spot.

Greene, a player who was in and out of the lineup early in the season, began to skate the puck up, and also became a reliable defenseman in his own zone. He began to see time on the penalty kill, the power play, (more) five on five, and four on four — Jacques Lemaire no longer views Greene as a liability on the ice.

With the addition of Martin Skoula (30 years) at the trade deadline, the Devils added an eighth defenseman to their lineup. When Martin returns, two defenseman will come out of the lineup. The young players, Mark Fraser (23 years) and Anssi Salmela (25 years) may get the boot.

Although there are the younger players (below the average team age), the Devils defense quickly is aging: five of their eight defenseman are twenty-nine or older.

Then, there is the back bone of the entire defense: Brodeur. After missing the majority of last season with basically his first “major” injury, many were sure Brodeur would rebound and have an outstanding season this year.

Though his statistics (59 games played, 35 wins, 20 losses, 3 OT losses) appear great for many goaltenders, Brodeur’s age is a new factor in his play. At thirty-seven years old, Brodeur is in his seventeenth season for the Devils, but lately some questionable goals slipped behind the Quebec native.

Regardless of a few weak goals, Brodeur still remains the Devils’ starting goaltender (with Yann Danis only playing in nine games to date). Brodeur stole a few games for the Devils early on in the season, but since the start of the new calendar year, his play seems off.

The issue of exhaustion always surrounds Brodeur towards the end of the season and the start of the playoffs. The Devils trust Brodeur will admit when he is tired, and needs a break. Though after the Olympic break (where he was not the number one goalie for Canada, as expected) he may feel refreshed.

Over the next few seasons, the Devils have to watch out for their aging goaltending, and their lack of big-name defensemen (like Scott Stevens, Ken Daneyko). Fortunately, the Devils’ offense appears on a path for success. Are the days of the trap and defensive systems gone for the Devils? Most likely not, after all their coach this season is the same coach that developed the system that won the Devils their cups.

However, the Devils are beginning to adapt more to the post-lock out era. They have so much young talent in Parise, Zajac, Clarkson, Martin, and Salmela (acquired in the Kovalchuk trade). Parise will likely be the face of the future for the Devils, of course once Brodeur retires.

The injury bug, known as a main problem with most teams, hurt key players in both the defense and offense for the Devils with Clarkson and Martin missing significant time. The Devils, though, did not throw in the towel. Clarkson and Martin, both relatively close to the team average age, will impact the lineup down the stretch and in the playoffs.

For now, the Devils still sit near the top of the Eastern Conference (fourth place). Their age may not be a factor in the regular season, but in the playoffs, they may fall to intensity.

Katlyn Gambill
NHLHS Featured Writer
kgambill@nhlhotstove.com
Twitter: @freezethepuck