Let history teach us that the days of the New York Islanders' dynasty are long gone. Let recent history of New York's hockey successes – the Rangers in '94, the Devils in '95 – show us that the fall from these dizzying heights are long and hard ones. Remember how the Devils missed the playoffs in '96?
All of which means little for their spring prospects of '01, even if several of those five-years-older players are still around. But what does mean something is how hockey's financial world has changed in that time, even if Lou Lamoriello hasn't changed his tight-fisted act at all.
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Wed., Sept. 27
The natural progression of young players Scott Gomez, Patrik Elias and Petr Sykora will be the key to the Devils' success this year. We saw what those guys can do in the playoffs last year as they just kept getting better and better. Add the improving young guys to veterans Scott Stevens, Scott Niedermayer and Randy McKay, and the Devils will be even harder to beat. They also added Turner Stevenson, who will fit into the New Jersey system perfectly. If the youngsters continue to play like they did and the veterans hold up, this team is the real deal again in 2000. |
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Agent Don Meehan, reacting to Lamoriello's latest bargaining battle with Jason Arnott and Scott Niedermayer: "Is that the way they're going to conduct business in the league? Boy, we're in sad shape. Is this what the fans in New Jersey can expect?"
Meehan and holdouts Arnott and Niedermayer might be trying to blame the new-monied owners of the Devils, but this is pure Lou. The league's best GM has told his two of his best players to stay away, that he's given them a final offer already. What that means is that all will not be happy in Meadow-ville this year, and without two main sluggers – one up front (Arnott) and the other on the blue line (Niedermayer) – the Devs will slip badly.
Until the two of them come crawling back, of course.
Meanwhile, Scott Gomez and Brian Rafalski have to do well in their battles against second-year hexes. Turner Stevenson, who hardly ever scored in Montreal, is suddenly being called Claude Lemieux's replacement in New Jersey – which is ridiculous. And although they were more than solid last year, Scott Stevens and Ken Daneyko have to start feeling the effects of their senior citizen status someday, don't they?
Oh, and one other thing: Does anyone really believe Alexander Mogilny is going to keep being the team player he was for a while in the playoffs?
These doubts and more will be hard to answer for the Devils, though they are a more balanced, deeper and better-coached team than they were five years ago. Don't expect them to go off the deep end like they did after that first title, but do expect their repeat-happy fans to be disappointed.
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Bottom Line on the Devils
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Strengths
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Weaknesses
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Defense
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Power play
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Goaltending
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Management-player relations
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SEASON OUTLOOK: It's hard to retain a hunger on the heels of another title, a fact of sports life that will impact the Devils almost as much as contract trouble with Arnott and Niedermayer will. Arnott's loss disrupts the best line in the league. Niedermayer is simply a premier defenseman, even if Lamoriello refuses to pay him like one. These losses translate to trouble in the standings, while the psychological impact it'll have in the locker room might set the team back far enough that it won't recover next spring. The Devils figure to drop from 45 wins to closer to a .500 pace for much of the season. They'll finish somewhere in the middle of the playoff-seedings pack, but if everyone is back and healthy and happy then ... another second-season run is never out of the question. |
Rob Parent covers the NHL for the Delaware County (Pa.) Times. His NHL East column appears every week on ESPN.com.
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AUDIO VIDEO
 Randy McKay hopes the Devils' focus on winning all season.
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Scott Gomez is optimistic that the Devils will not suffer from a Cup hangover.
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