The Most Dominant Stretch of Hockey in Devils History - 2/26 to 4/17/2

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

Honorable mention to the 2010-2011 Devils, Lemaire took over and they went on a 24-3-2 run after the new year

 

23-3-2 actually.  The 2001 team was light-years ahead of the 2011 squad...the 2011 run was built on a brief offensive surge, then a lot of timely scoring (the Devils won an absurd amount of one-games in that '11 burst).  The 2001 team was just blowing teams out of the water a lot of nights.  A +50 goal differential over 24 games in that era was no small feat; by comparsion, the Devils' 28-game 2011 run goal differential was +32, and a lot of that came during the 6-0-1 surge that started the run (+15).  The Devils went 17-3-1 over the rest of the run, but had a goal differential of just +17 over that time.  That's really really hard to do...a lot of good fortune went into the majority of that 23-3-2 burst.    

 

 

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

 

That was a symptom of the overall problem, overconfidence.  Ironically that dominant streak in the regular season fattened them up for the kill later on.  I remember John Davidson saying years later how the Devils acted like they had no right losing to the Rangers late in the season, meaning they thought they were supposed to win all the time.

 

I miss the days when losing Game 7 in the Finals seemed like the worst thing in the world cause we 'should' have won

 

JD was a bit douchey back then.  The Devils were used to beating the Rangers and, at that point, just about everyone else.  I could understand why they were feeling pretty invulnerable at the time.

 

As far as the 2001 playoff run goes, my feelings on it have always been the same:

 

Carolina:  Losing those two games seemed to throw off their mojo a bit, but let's face it, the Devils were just about 100% on top of their game for almost two months' worth of games, with a lot of guys enjoying the best and most productive stretches of their careers.  They weren't going to stay there forever.

 

Toronto:  We'll never know, but Tie Domi basically being an idiot seemed to mess up the Leafs just enough (even though they won Game 5 after his antics and had the Devils on the ropes).  After losing to the Devils in the playoffs for the second straight season, the Leafs seemed determined to build a team that could beat the Devils in a future playoff matchup (signing Mogilny away from the Devils was supposed to help in that regard, among other moves), but of course, they haven't faced each other in the playoffs since.

 

Pittsburgh:  I think Tri disagreed with me on this one a while ago, but it didn't seem like Pittsburgh was all that interested in competing...to get shut out in back-to-back games on home ice (3-0 and 5-0)...that's almost inexcusable.  PIttsburgh did have defensive issues (256 GA in the regular season), but I remember them just not being terribly into that series...or maybe the Devils were just that bad of a matchup for them. 

 

Colorado:  Marty's up-and-down season (from a pure puck-stopping standpoint) was most definitely down for this series.  He was not good for much of it, especially in Games 1, 6 and 7.  Stevens looked old and slow at times, for the first time that I could remember.  When it got to be 3-2 in favor of the Devils, the Avs just seemed to kick it up to a level the Devils suddenly couldn't match.  The (rightly) disallowed Gomez goal and then Adam Foote's WTF goal in Game 6 just seemed to deflate the Devils completely....the Avs scored 6 more goals before the Devils finally scored one of their own, but by then it was too late.  Marty (in his book) complained about the Avs finding excuses to talk to the refs in Game 7 (thereby delaying face-offs) so that their top four defensemen could play more minutes, but I always thought there was a bit of sour grapes with that.  Marty had an .860ish save% for that series...the Avs yapping to the refs were the least of the Devils' problems at that point.

 

Edited November 1, 2014 by Colorado Rockies 1976

[Triumph]

JD was a bit douchey back then.  The Devils were used to beating the Rangers and, at that point, just about everyone else.  I could understand why they were feeling pretty invulnerable at the time.

 

As far as the 2001 playoff run goes, my feelings on it have always been the same:

 

Carolina:  Losing those two games seemed to throw off their mojo a bit, but let's face it, the Devils were just about 100% on top of their game for almost two months' worth of games, with a lot of guys enjoying the best and most productive stretches of their careers.  They weren't going to stay there forever.

 

Toronto:  We'll never know, but Tie Domi basically being an idiot seemed to mess up the Leafs just enough (even though they won Game 5 after his antics and had the Devils on the ropes).  After losing to the Devils in the playoffs for the second straight season, the Leafs seemed determined to build a team that could beat the Devils in a future playoff matchup (signing Mogilny away from the Devils was supposed to help in that regard, among other moves), but of course, they haven't faced each other in the playoffs since.

 

Pittsburgh:  I think Tri disagreed with me on this one a while ago, but it didn't seem like Pittsburgh was all that interested in competing...to get shut out in back-to-back games on home ice (3-0 and 5-0)...that's almost inexcusable.  PIttsburgh did have defensive issues (256 GA in the regular season), but I remember them just not being terribly into that series...or maybe the Devils were just that bad of a matchup for them. 

 

Colorado:  Marty's up-and-down season (from a pure puck-stopping standpoint) was most definitely down for this series.  He was not good for much of it, especially in Games 1, 6 and 7.  Stevens looked old and slow at times, for the first time that I could remember.  When it got to be 3-2 in favor of the Devils, the Avs just seemed to kick it up to a level the Devils suddenly couldn't match.  The (rightly) disallowed Gomez goal and then Adam Foote's WTF goal in Game 6 just seemed to deflate the Devils completely....the Avs scored 6 more goals before the Devils finally scored one of their own, but by then it was too late.  Marty (in his book) complained about the Avs finding excuses to talk to the refs in Game 7 (thereby delaying face-offs) so that their top four defensemen could play more minutes, but I always thought there was a bit of sour grapes with that.  Marty had an .860ish save% for that series...the Avs yapping to the refs were the least of the Devils' problems at that point.

 

I think Jagr has acknowledged that he was not playing at his best during that entire playoffs because of his impending trade out of Pittsburgh, but I don't think Pittsburgh was a very good team at all, as ECSF winners go - they had basically a backup goalie in net, 5 great forwards, and a lot of garbage.  I mean, Lemieux is a dynamite scorer, but he's not the best defensive player.  With a fully committed Jagr I imagine things change - we all saw what Jagr did to the Devils 2 years before - but I still think that Devils team was much better (as was the 99 team)

[DevsMan84]

I think it was a combination of the Devils overconfidence along with brodeur completely breaking down in games 6 and 7.

I was at game 6 at CAA (section 101 row 11) and I remember hearing others saying that there were limos parked along the side of the arena for the Devils players after their celebration later that night from all their drinking. That is just presumptous as could be and the Devils played that way from the disallowed Gomez goal on. Walking out you could see on peoples faces that they were stunned at the Devils play and we could all feel/think in the back of our heads that game 7 was not going to go well for them to say the least.

Devils lost that series period. They had the Avs on the ropes and failed to deliver the knockout punch and instead allowed them to come back and win the cup. It was the worst days of my life as a Devils fan and the only day it even compares to was the 1994 ECF (I think 01 is still worse). 09 against Carolina is the next closest but still miles away from 01

[MadDog2020]

I think it was a combination of the Devils overconfidence along with brodeur completely breaking down in games 6 and 7.

I was at game 6 at CAA (section 101 row 11) and I remember hearing others saying that there were limos parked along the side of the arena for the Devils players after their celebration later that night from all their drinking. That is just presumptous as could be and the Devils played that way from the disallowed Gomez goal on. Walking out you could see on peoples faces that they were stunned at the Devils play and we could all feel/think in the back of our heads that game 7 was not going to go well for them to say the least.

Devils lost that series period. They had the Avs on the ropes and failed to deliver the knockout punch and instead allowed them to come back and win the cup. It was the worst days of my life as a Devils fan and the only day it even compares to was the 1994 ECF (I think 01 is still worse). 09 against Carolina is the next closest but still miles away from 01

I was at game 6 too. Worst game I've ever attended in person. I felt physically ill walking out of CAA that night. And I couldn't agree more with that entire last paragraph. '94 was the only thing that compared, and I put '94 to bed for good when Henrique scored. 2001 I will take to my grave. If I ever meet Ray Bourque, I'll find where he parked and slash his tires. Edited November 1, 2014 by MadDog2020

[DevsMan84]

I was at game 6 too. Worst game I've ever attended in person. I felt physically ill walking out of CAA that night.

Pretty much same here and not because they lost that game, but you knew they wouldn't win game 7 after that.

Best part walking out was the guys in the parking lot selling Devils 2001 stanley cup champs shirts lol. I should have gotten one. A buddy of mine has one and I'm a little jealous of it

Edited November 1, 2014 by DevsMan84

[DevsMan84]

I will also never forgive how Gary Thorne was basically fellating half the colorado team the entire finals. You can hear the glee in his voice every time they scored on the Devils but when the Devils scored he seemed to give this half-assed fake excited call.

[MadDog2020]

Pretty much same here and not because they lost that game, but you knew they wouldn't win game 7 after that.

Best part walking out was the guys in the parking lot selling Devils 2001 stanley cup champs shirts lol. I should have gotten one. A buddy of mine has one and I'm a little jealous of it

Yep. We all knew there was no shot after that. I didn't even watch the Cup, I shut off my TV the minute the clock hit zeros and threw my remote across the room. Then I smoked a huge bowl and went to bed. Brutal night was brutal. And I'd never want one of those 2001 Cup shirts, and I'm glad I didn't see anyone selling them after game 6, or I might've been arrested that night. I couldn't even look at a shirt like that. Too painful, even to this day for me. 2001 will always be the one that got away. That team was something else, and they gave it away. And to this day, the quickest way to get me to turn off NHL Network is to show 2001 game 7. I'd rather watch the Rocky Horror Picture Show on an endless loop. I'll NEVER watch a replay of that game, or game 6. Edited November 1, 2014 by MadDog2020

[point]

Game 6 was brutal, I was there too. It foretold the outcome of game 7. Everyone knew the team just did not have a win in their minds, hearts, or spirits. It was really bad.

All that being said, the team outscored opponents 295-195. I'm too lazy to look it up, but how many other teams have that kind of margin?

[devilsrule33]

Game 6 was brutal, I was there too. It foretold the outcome of game 7. Everyone knew the team just did not have a win in their minds, hearts, or spirits. It was really bad.

All that being said, the team outscored opponents 295-195. I'm too lazy to look it up, but how many other teams have that kind of margin?

 

It doesn't really happen. The one team I was sure did it since, the 2005-2006 Senators, had a +103 margin. They absolutely beat up on teams, but that was the year there were 10 PPs a game, so it's a bit inflated.

 

The greatest regular season of all-time belonged to the 95-96 Red Wings -- 62 wins and only 13 losses. That team had a goal differential of +144. The last team to do that before them was the 89 Flames (+128).

 

Anyway, for the Devils to get a +100 goal differential in the dead puck era is pretty nuts. They were historically a great team.

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

It doesn't really happen. The one team I was sure did it since, the 2005-2006 Senators, had a +103 margin. They absolutely beat up on teams, but that was the year there were 10 PPs a game, so it's a bit inflated.

 

The greatest regular season of all-time belonged to the 95-96 Red Wings -- 62 wins and only 13 losses. That team had a goal differential of +144. The last team to do that before them was the 89 Flames (+128).

 

Anyway, for the Devils to get a +100 goal differential in the dead puck era is pretty nuts. They were historically a great team.

 

The 1976-77 Montreal Canadiens went 60-8-12 (132 points) and scored 387 goals while allowing only 171.  A +216 differential.  Flyers were second in differential that season, at +110.  It was a different era for sure, but +216 is pretty outrageous. 

[Satans Hockey]

Anybody got a time machine?

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

I think Jagr has acknowledged that he was not playing at his best during that entire playoffs because of his impending trade out of Pittsburgh, but I don't think Pittsburgh was a very good team at all, as ECSF winners go - they had basically a backup goalie in net, 5 great forwards, and a lot of garbage.  I mean, Lemieux is a dynamite scorer, but he's not the best defensive player.  With a fully committed Jagr I imagine things change - we all saw what Jagr did to the Devils 2 years before - but I still think that Devils team was much better (as was the 99 team)

 

The weak link on that 2000-01 team, more than anyone else (much as I hate to admit it) was Brodeur.  He was extremely ordinary for much of that season...I remember growing more and more frustrated with him and becoming very critical of him, especially as the playoffs wore on...after only allowing one goal in Games 1-3 combined against Carolina, his playoff save% was down to .899 after the Game 2 loss to Pittsburgh (he finished at .897)...Hedberg was around .930 at that point.  I remember posting something in the ESPN forums that that basically said Marty couldn't expect to live off his reputation forever.  Well, just like that, the Devils shut out the Penguins twice in a row and outscored them 12-2 for the rest of the series, which shut me up...until the Finals. 

 

I forget which regular season game it was, but I remember how surprised the in-game commentators were when they announced that the Devils has the second-worst team save% in the NHL (Brodeur and a very shaky Chris Terreri...this was prior to Terreri being swapped for Vanbiesbrouck).  Neverson wrote a critical piece on Brodeur at some point during that season as well...I think just before the 24-game burst, his season save% was actually under .900.  I remember starting to feel more and more nervous during that season when pucks were coming his way...until the last couple of seasons, I don't ever remember feeling that way about him at any other point in his career (though the slow 2010-11 and 2011-12 starts were worrisome).

[ThreeCups]

2001 Finals....PUKE

 

That is all I have to say...

 

A blown opportunity, and that would Cup would have cemented us a mini dynasty for sure.

[devilsrule33]

The weak link on that 2000-01 team, more than anyone else (much as I hate to admit it) was Brodeur.  He was extremely ordinary for much of that season...I remember growing more and more frustrated with him and becoming very critical of him, especially as the playoffs wore on...after only allowing one goal in Games 1-3 combined against Carolina, his playoff save% was down to .899 after the Game 2 loss to Pittsburgh (he finished at .897)...Hedberg was around .930 at that point.  I remember posting something in the ESPN forums that that basically said Marty couldn't expect to live off his reputation forever.  Well, just like that, the Devils shut out the Penguins twice in a row and outscored them 12-2 for the rest of the series, which shut me up...until the Finals. 

 

I forget which regular season game it was, but I remember how surprised the in-game commentators were when they announced that the Devils has the second-worst team save% in the NHL (Brodeur and a very shaky Chris Terreri...this was prior to Terreri being swapped for Vanbiesbrouck).  Neverson wrote a critical piece on Brodeur at some point during that season as well...I think just before the 24-game burst, his season save% was actually under .900.  I remember starting to feel more and more nervous during that season when pucks were coming his way...until the last couple of seasons, I don't ever remember feeling that way about him at any other point in his career (though the slow 2010-11 and 2011-12 starts were worrisome).

 

I came across this article just the other day, and it relates to this post/discussion. It's a pretty interesting discussion how good coaching can affect a goalie's save percentage, and it highlights the success that coaches like Julien, Lemaire and Burns have had with their goalies performing better with these coaches than without them. Burns saw goalies like Roy, Potvin, Dafoe and Brodeur have some of their best seasons under him.

 

 

If I re-plot Brodeur’s results, but highlight his seasons under Lemaire, Julien and Burns, you can see why I am skeptical of Brodeur’s career. During his prime under Robbie Ftorek, Kevin Constantine and Larry Robinson, Brodeur was barely above league average.

(only seasons of 10-plus games included)

 

We can even see the effect Lemaire had during a singe-season sample. During the 2010-11 campaign, coach John MacLean was fired mid-season. At that point Brodeur had an .887 save percentage, .026 below the league average. Lemaire took over and Brodeur registered .916 for the remainder of the season, .003 greater than average. Some of that was likely just his numbers normalizing, but Brodeur hasn’t been higher than .908 since Lemaire retired for good.

I’m not suggesting Brodeur is not worthy of Hall of Fame enshrinement, but I am suggesting that he found himself in the best environment possible to succeed—one that can easily enhance a reputation when it is so easily tied to save percentage.

 

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/how-coaches-can-effect-goalie-statistics/

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

Marty's game was never about pure puck-stopping...Hasek was considerably better in that regard.  That being said, Marty was excellent in the SC-winning runs, and when his detractors said he'd be exposed in the "new" NHL, he actually played better (from a save% standpoint) for several years.  But there was definitely a four-year period (98-99 to 01-02) where he was a little iffy in the regular season (though his puck-handling skills offset some of that). 

[NJDevs4978]

Marty's '06-10 seasons (particularly '06/07 and '07/08) should have dispelled the trap/Stevens/Nieds myth forever about Marty.  When he still managed to put up Vezina caliber years with Colin White and Paul Martin as his top d-men.

[devilsrule33]

Marty's '06-10 seasons (particularly '06/07 and '07/08) should have dispelled the trap/Stevens/Nieds myth forever about Marty.  When he still managed to put up Vezina caliber years with Colin White and Paul Martin as his top d-men.

 

Brodeur was great in 07 and 08, but two seasons doesn't necessarily prove anything in either direction. His 2009 and 2010 seasons were average seasons.

 

We can talk about all those great defensemen, sure. But in the prime of his career and with those great defensemen, he had 4 below-average seasons under Ftorek, Robinson and Constantine.

 

It's an interesting article nonetheless with some excellent information (although, far from perfect) on the success Pat Burns has had with his goalies.

 

[NJDevs4978]

He was partly 'below average' because they were playing a more wide-open style under Ftorek and Robinson.  

[Triumph]

He was partly 'below average' because they were playing a more wide-open style under Ftorek and Robinson.  

 

I buy that only up to a point.  Remember that the Devils were probably the most disciplined team in the league at the time too, so he wasn't facing tons of power plays.  Plus we should see more Brodeur like effects from 'playing wide open' but we don't around the league.

[maxpower]

Meh, they played a very good team in the finals and had them on the ropes. Roy had a great period and that Adam Foote thing happened. I don't think you can understate what they did to the Pens. They snuffed an inspirational narrative. That series was like Rudy ending with him getting decapitated and his severed head getting kicked through the uprights.

[Pepperkorn]

for all that the 2003 team ... I'm just sayin' this is what sealed the fan bases fate.  I know I shoudl have read all the posts here but I'm compelled to react with a shot from the hip right off the bat here.  I will go back and read everyone's comments and probably apologize -- but for now...

 

What are the stats on the sh!ttiest of 2002-3? and yet we end with the most positive of outcomes for the season.

 

We can be grateful for our luck with talent but we also need to see from where our unrealistic expectations were born -- I think that's where the fan base attitudes are more solidly formed. 

 

It's so easy to say - "yeah but look at that talent" -- and let the sh!t... errr  lean years roll off your back more easily.  Plus look at the following year's stats.. heh heh  2001-02? 

 

Those months in 2000-1 -- it's a cute snap shot but kind of not really relevant to our fan base total picture. For me actually of course it's mildly infuriating - I guess that's another thing one can take into account when reading my opinions on our current situation. Some of the "Oh what a great post" responses I expect to read are just kind of bullsh!t.  I mean -- that's not an over-all perspective of Devils success forming fan-base expectation -- it's just a nice stroll down memory lane for a very select 3 month run.  Pleasant, but not productive or relevant to the current situation. and the playoff struggle -- the fact they didn't win -- I mean THAT is all part and parcel of where our "spoiled" (or whatever you want to call it) mindset was born.

 

Sorry to be a kill joy -- probably this wasn't the "lets put things into perspective" post that I read it to be.  I'm just focused on fixing.  Things are going well for the Devils right now -- I am actually happy with what's been going on for the past 2 games. and of course the fan IR-rationale makes it feel like our nice venting session helped in generating that. 

 

and just to add - booing Sal doesn't  - and that needs to stop.  I dont mind that it happened - but it's got to stop and the fan-base needs to be supportive of the positive result no matter how hard and tenuous the struggle to win was for these guys.  They need to know they're in the right direction and moving back to the past sh!t DeBoer loved is NOT the progressive choice.  That's where I am now and I'm sorry if I'm some kind of kill joy.  it's hard to respect the vibe on a message board.  One feels like one must put in once downer realistic crap.

 

I have a lot on my mind as a Devils fan but no time to write so sorry to be irrelevant to the thread myself 

[DevsMan84]

If you want to talk about the 02-03 season, I have to say that is one of the weirdest seasons I could remember as a Devils fan.  Going into that season our top line was basically Elias-Nieuwendyk-Friesen/Langs.  Not exactly up to snuff compared to the other teams in the league yet they found a way.

 

I still believe the 02-03 team, just strictly from an offensive point of view, was the least talented team to win the cup in the last 25-30 years.  I mean our leading scorer was Elias with a whopping 28 goals and 57 points.  Only him, Langs and Friesen broke 20 goals that year and even in the dead-puck era that was really low.  It was a combination of coaching, having a HOF defense that into today's NHL would destroy any team's cap, Marty turning into a brick wall in the playoffs and certain players deciding to have career-defining playoff runs at the right time (this goes especially for Friesen and Marshall).

 

It was such a drastic difference than 2 years prior where as a Devils fan you were almost expecting them to score at least 4 goals a game.

Edited November 3, 2014 by DevsMan84

[Pepperkorn]

I know - how hilarious and fun was that?

 

I think the thing of it was - we all were marvelling while Pat Burns just controlled things.  He was aware of what was going  on not merely riding the streak.  it was so clearly NOT just good luck - it was these eyes that had seen and learned from the past.  Not a "If we stick to this system" blather but a very confident "I've seen this before and you just have to trust me"  and the team trusting and everyone making it happen.

 

It's not pretend.  it's not a "Holy sh!t we pulled that out of our ass" it was a "I can't believe you guys knew you could trust me" - it's one thing for a coach to know but a whole other thing for a team to trust him. 

 

 

Yes De Boer indeed has a system.  Systems suck is the truth of the matter.

 

The Ineffable System is one thing:  TRUST  

 

A coach mistaking loyalty for trust is a problem.  A coach like Burns who can say "Dude - I know you have heart and really solid character - but we both know you just can't be trusted with that puck - you just can't" that's real.  That's someone you can trust. It's not the same as saying I am loyalty to you -- we both know you're going to fvck up here but we're going to trust that you'll rise above it at the end of the day"  WHAT THE fvck IS THAT???????     A guy accepting his role as a character guy who really doesn't have the skill to be trusted on ice will rise to the best of his abilities and sometimes when granted REAL trust will surpass all expectation.  A Guy who is given unfounded trust merely because he's a character guy -- that results in failure except for those few serendipitou --ok

 

okokok -- I'm ranting... sorry yet again.... support.. support th epositive right now.  The bad isnt' in my face the past few games so --- we're moving forward.... whew.... ok.

Edited November 3, 2014 by Pepperkorn

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

for all that the 2003 team ... I'm just sayin' this is what sealed the fan bases fate.  I know I shoudl have read all the posts here but I'm compelled to react with a shot from the hip right off the bat here.  I will go back and read everyone's comments and probably apologize -- but for now...

 

What are the stats on the sh!ttiest of 2002-3? and yet we end with the most positive of outcomes for the season.

 

We can be grateful for our luck with talent but we also need to see from where our unrealistic expectations were born -- I think that's where the fan base attitudes are more solidly formed. 

 

It's so easy to say - "yeah but look at that talent" -- and let the sh!t... errr  lean years roll off your back more easily.  Plus look at the following year's stats.. heh heh  2001-02? 

 

Those months in 2000-1 -- it's a cute snap shot but kind of not really relevant to our fan base total picture. For me actually of course it's mildly infuriating - I guess that's another thing one can take into account when reading my opinions on our current situation. Some of the "Oh what a great post" responses I expect to read are just kind of bullsh!t.  I mean -- that's not an over-all perspective of Devils success forming fan-base expectation -- it's just a nice stroll down memory lane for a very select 3 month run.  Pleasant, but not productive or relevant to the current situation. and the playoff struggle -- the fact they didn't win -- I mean THAT is all part and parcel of where our "spoiled" (or whatever you want to call it) mindset was born.

 

Sorry to be a kill joy -- probably this wasn't the "lets put things into perspective" post that I read it to be.  I'm just focused on fixing.  Things are going well for the Devils right now -- I am actually happy with what's been going on for the past 2 games. and of course the fan IR-rationale makes it feel like our nice venting session helped in generating that. 

 

and just to add - booing Sal doesn't  - and that needs to stop.  I dont mind that it happened - but it's got to stop and the fan-base needs to be supportive of the positive result no matter how hard and tenuous the struggle to win was for these guys.  They need to know they're in the right direction and moving back to the past sh!t DeBoer loved is NOT the progressive choice.  That's where I am now and I'm sorry if I'm some kind of kill joy.  it's hard to respect the vibe on a message board.  One feels like one must put in once downer realistic crap.

 

I have a lot on my mind as a Devils fan but no time to write so sorry to be irrelevant to the thread myself 

 

The bolded...yeah, I happened to be thinking about how dominant the Devils were during one incredible 24-game run and dared to post something about it.  I didn't realize that every post needed to be productive or relevant to the current situation to be worthwhile.  If you thought it was so pointless, you could've simply stayed out of the thread and bitched about the 2014 Devils elsewhere...plenty of threads for that.   

 

You missed what I was going for anyway...I stated in the original post that this wasn't about pining for "the good old days" or anything like that at the expense of the present, or lamenting the current state of the Devils (though for some reason you chose to do that here).  Like I said, I just happened to be thinking about the incredibly high level of hockey the Devils were playing during that run (possibly the best in their history), and thought I'd post something on it.  For much of that year, and especially those 24 games, the DEVILS were the team that was the most fun to watch, the DEVILS were the team that people actually envied, the DEVILS were the team that was winning pretty damned near every night (even though other teams' fans couldn't seem to bring themselves to accept it).  You are right, it was a brief snapshot, a performance highlight in several seasons of sustained and admirable success, but I thought "What, the hell, why not reflect on it a little, especially since what they did was so statistically impressive?"  Fans sometimes do that, for various teams in a franchise's history (and not always the successful ones). 

 

As for the present, which this thread wasn't really supposed to be about anyway...I'm happy with the solid start and am looking forward to seeing if this team can build on it.  I'm not going to go crazy picking things apart this early or going crazy with criticism.  I want to let the season breathe a little.