This did not quite come out of nowhere. You get that impression from Brent Sutter but I refuse to believe it. The bottom line is the New Jersey Devils came up short pretty much since Game 1. Even when they won…you were left with the feeling that it could fall apart. Tonight it did. Two strategic mistakes in the final seconds led to two goals by Carolina. Just like that, the Devils went from winning to OT to regulation Game 7 loss in one of the most cruelest ways imaginable.

However, the reality is the Devils were not good enough. Guys like Niklas Havelid, Colin White, etc…etc. are not defensemen you want to hang your hat on. There is a reason why this team had to score a ton in the regular season. These guys are just NOT GOOD! I will say it once and I will say it again. Look back to Game 5 when they just BARELY held on to a 1-0 win against Carolina. The defense sat back and let Carolina do whatever it wanted to. That is not acceptable and nor will it ever be acceptable!

People are going to second guess Martin Brodeur again and say he cannot win the big game. That is also nonsense! What simply happened is this team got caught with the deer in headlights look. Instead of recovering like a good team would when they got scored on…they let something happen that was even more improbable and that was give up a series winner in regulation. One cannot fault Brodeur for what happened there. The defensive breakdowns were many like they were all series. What happened was they kind of got lost in the shuffle until the most crucial moment of the season.

Again this team is too built for the regular season and not enough for the postseason. One line and a grizzled vet showed up tonight (Brendan Shanahan had 2 assists). There are going to need to be some pretty drastic changes. The first starts at defense. Because that is the main core of where the problems lie in Jersey!

First off…whatever it takes to make Colin White go away….do it! Colin has been a nice player for NJ for a long while but hey this is a business and its time to get better. There are guys like Steve Montador and Jay Bouwmeester who will be UFA’s among others. Throw a line out there….buy out White if you have to but this team needs a major overhaul on D. I can live with Bryce Salvador to a point but if by some miracle Jay-Bo does come to New Jersey…then its time to ship out Paul Martin as well. Cut the salary and send him to Minnesota. After that, make sure Mr. Havelid has a nice long walk off a short pier and bring up Matt Corrente from Lowell. Surely this will not fix all the problem on the Devils’ blueline but hey it is a start.

Next up…Rolston, Elias, and Gionta are not too bad together but Patrik Elias has to learn to SCORE in the playoffs again. It seemed Elias missed several glorious chances in this series that he normally would not miss. Patrik had a bad series…it is okay to say it. You cannot miss wide open nets like Elias did in this series if you want to be considered an elite player again. Until he lights the lamp enough when it counts…Patrik will just be another regular season performer. Lou Lamoriello will likely mend whatever fences with Brian Gionta and will offer him a deal. Question is will Gionta take it? If not, Lou Lams could go out into the UFA market. At this point….it could not hurt.

The fourth line was not too bad….Rupp and Clarkson were not so good tonight for whatever reason but overall during the season David Clarkson started to make those slow steps to becoming a better NHL player. I think next year he breaks the 20 goal barrier and with some more time on the extra man…he could get close to 25 goals. The duo makes for a nice energy line and hopefully they can find someone in Lowell to make a trio because Bobby Holik likely will not be back. At 2.5 million he is too expensive to have. In the end, the Holik reunion tour did not work.

Now whatever it takes to break up Madden and Pandolfo…..do it! The team is getting older and older and honestly for as hard as these two work….2003 is now 6 years ago. They are beginning to show their age together on the ice. John Madden paired with a younger gritty forward could work. However either Madden or Pandolfo or both may go and I would rather it be Pandolfo. Madden is too valuable on short handed situations still.

If that is not enough…oh believe me there is much more. It is now apparent and needed to take a deeper look at this farm system. When you are ranked at the bottom of the prospect heap…worse than teams like Colorado….its time to take a second look. I will never figure out why John Carlson was not taken over Mr. Tedenby. Everyone has seen what Carlson did with London of the OHL this year. Time to see where scouting can be improved because that once vaunted Devils scouting has slipped several rungs in the past few years.

Do a system’s check. Its like taking a car out and giving it a full tune-up after say 50,000 miles. The Devils are now six years removed from a Stanley Cup and for most fans and franchises…that would be a great thing. However for this fan…it is not! It really is time to take a look at all parts of this organization. Is Brent Sutter really the right coach for this team? Could John MacLean be replaced for a more NHL savvy assistant? From goaltending coaches to personnel…..this checkup needs to be done and done quickly. The draft is coming up in late June and July 1st is the free agent frenzy.

Can the Devils learn something from this? Yes they can but only if they really take a deep look in the mirror and realize what they have become is not the team they envisioned at the start of the 2008-2009 season. Ultimately that divergence led to their eventual and sudden downfall.

Devils GM Lou Lamoriello is rumored to be shopping Brian Gionta to shed some salary to add a veteran top four defenseman. Gionta, who is making $4 Million, is set to become an unrestricted free agent at season end and could be the most valued trade commodity for the Devils.

The veteran forwards productivity has continued to decline since his 48 goal season in 2005-2006. This season, while playing on a line with Patrick Elias and Dainius Zubrus he has netted 11 goals and 30 assists but only has 2 goals in the last 14 games. 

The addition of Brendan Shanahan has given the Devils some scoring depth upfront and the freedom to move a forward via a trade. The Devils have also been shopping forwards Jay Pandolfo and John Madden, both who earn just under $3 million this season, though Pandolfo has been a healthy scratch the past five games and Madden’s lack of offensive ability make them much less valuable than Gionta.

With several top line defenseman available like Scott Neidermeyer, Chris Pronger, Jay Bouwmeester, Tomas Kaberle, just to name a few, the Devils will need to shed some salary. Currently just sitting under the cap, the Devils will be forced to package a forward, defenseman and draft picks if they are to land one of the high priced veteran defenseman.

Over the past 13 seasons, the New Jersey Devils have won three Stanley Cups, only the Detriot Red Wings have won more in that time. The Devils have made the playoffs 11 consecutive seasons and had 11 consecutive 40-plus win seasons, never finishing with less than 95 points and breaking the 100 point barrier in nine of those eleven seasons. So why would everyone doubt one of the most successful franchises in sports over the past 15 years? You gt me!

The Devils will return from the All-Star break sitting atop the Atlantic Division with 61 points (29-15-3), one point ahead of the New York Rangers and two points ahead of the Philadelphia Flyers. The Devils have been able to achieved this, despite being without Martin Brodeur for 37 games and free agent signings Brian Rolston and Bobby Holik for 18 games a piece. So here is a look back at the first half and how the Devils have gotten to where they are?

MVP: Zach Parise / Patrick Elias
Zach Parise has become one of the best young NHL stars and Patrick Elias has once again become one of the NHL elite players. For the first time, maybe ever, their could be two Devils who finish the year in the top 10 in scoring in the league.

Parise, whose 28 goals ranks him 3rd behind Ovechkin and Carter, is currently 7th in the league with 55 points, while Elias ranks 9th with 54 points. The best part is they play on different lines, giving the other teams fits and the Devils two scoring lines.

MOST IMPROVED PLAYER: Travis Zajac
Zajac’s 15 goals and 21 assists already surpass his numbers from last season and with 35 games remaining he should easily break his career high of 42 points. Of late, Zajac has been the hot stick for the Devils as he has 5 goals and 3 assists in the past 7 games. Best of all has been his improvement on defense playing at a plus-19 compared to last seasons minus-11 rating.

BIGGEST SUPRISE: Scott Clemmensen
When the season started Scott Clemmensen was barely on the Devils radar. He would be headed to Lowell and spend time there all season and be an insurance policy. Well the Devils cashed in that insurance policy and more than they expected.

Not only has Clemmensen come in and held down the fort, he has asserted his presence. The Devils goal, who may have been snubbed for a trip to the All-Star game, has put up Brodeurian numbers in the absence of the star goaltender. Clemmensen is 7th in the league in wins (19), 6th in Goal-Against-Average (2.29) and 8th in save percentage (.922).

Now the big questions are, can he keep it up and what will the Devils do once Marty comes back at the end of February? Who will go and who will stay? One thing is for certain, Clemmensen will see a nice pay day from some team next season.

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT: Jay Pandolfo
The long time Devil signed a three year 7.5M dollar contract over the summer and now with the signing of Brendan Shanahan, Pandolfo is watching the games from the press box.

He and long time linemate, John Madden, have been separated for most of the season and when he has played of late he has only seen time of late on the fourth line. There has been speculation of trading Pandolfo, but he will be difficult to move in the salary cap era.

TRADE DEADLINE: To Trade or not to trade, that is the question?
The Devils added Brendan Shanahan and may be happy with the depth they now have at the forward position. The defense has been underrated all year, but their solid play has the Devils ranked 5th in the league on defense. But GM Lou Lamiriello has been known to always add a veteran to the mix at the trade deadline. Looking back Lamiriello has brought in defenseman like Bryce Salvador, Jason Weimer, Phil Housley, Shawn Chambers and Vladmir Malakhov at the dealine and I would expect him to do the same. Except for Malakhov, there is one thing that ties all these players together. Lou got them for cheap and without breaking up the current roster.

THE FUTURE: Five things to look out for in the second half
Here are a few things to look out for after the all-star break:
1) Can John Madden keep it going? The Devils center has struggled all year and has been rumored in trades for a few weeks. Since Shanahan has joined the team, Madden has 1 goal,6 assists and a plus-6 rating in the past five games. Now can he keep playing the way he has of late, or will the Devils look to move him at the trade deadline?
2) Will Parise be the first Devil to score 50 goals in a season and will he or Elias break the 100 point plateau? Parise is on pace for 95 points and 48 goals, just short of the two marks.
3) How much of a difference will Shanahan make? He scored in his first game, but his presence may be felt far more than just on the score sheet.
4) Will Lou stand still or make a move? As we already stated, will Lou add a veteran blueliner or will he look for a 3rd line centerman to play with his wingers Rolston, Shanahan and Clarkson.
5) How will Brodeur play when he returns? He has never been out of the line-up for this long in his career. Will the rest help him and have him fresh for the playoffs or will he come back not in top form and send the Devils into a funk.

WHAT IS UP NEXT: The homestretch begins.
The Devils will come back from the all-star break with two road games at Ottawa and Boston and then play seven of eight on home ice. Scott Clemmensen and the Devils will need to try and put some distance between them and the Rangers and Flyers, while they await the return of Brodeur between February 26th and March 7th.

With 35 games remaining the Devils have nine divisional games left, including three against the Islanders and two against the Flyers, Rangers and Penguins. The Devils will not be doing much traveling the remainder of the season, as their furthest trip is a game at Chicago on March 27th. Besides that game every game will be played in the eastern time zone.

The signing of the veteran forward has sparked speculation of which forward may be watching from the stands once Shanahan is ready to be inserted into the line-up. Shanahan’s presence will put pressure on several Devils forwards to step-up their games, but the most effected may be John Madden.

Madden, who is set to become a restricted free-agent after the season, has been mediocre at best this season. After posting a 20 goal season in 2007-2008, he has 4 goals and 8 assists in 37 games this season.

The 10 veteran, all as a New Jersey Devil, has seen his ice time and role diminish under Brent Sutter. The time when you would see John Madden checking the other teams top line has become a distant memory. This season has seen the long time duo of Madden and Pandolfo separated, Madden go through a 24 game goal scoring drought and at times even seen him relegated to the fourth line. Not something that you would expect for the center who will be playing between two scoring wingers in Rolston and Shanahan.

Lamoriello and Sutter both understand that to be a top contender for the Stanley Cup, you need three lines that can score and play defense. The addition of Shanahan gives the Devils the potential of three productive scoring lines, depending on how John Madden plays at center between the veteran duo of Shanahan and Rolston.

There has been speculation all season that Madden, who’s career high was 23 assists, may be moved by the trading deadline and replaced with a playmakingcenter. Now with signing of Shanahan the rumors may become reality. So after 10 years with the Devils, John Madden’s future with the organization will all depend on how much offense he can produce over the next few weeks.

Shanahan, who turns 40 years of age on January 23rd, was not re-signed by the Rangers after scoring 52 goals the past two seasons for the Blueshirts. Several other teams sought after the veterans services, including the Flyers, Blues and Penguins. In the end, salary cap issues and a willingness for Shanahan to stay in the New York area was his deciding factor in signing with the Devils.

The 8-time all-star has played in 1,490 career games and has accumulated 650 career goals, which ranks 11th all-time. Known as a power-play specialist, he is expected to help a struggling Devils power-play which currently ranks 20th in the NHL. A three time winner of the Stanley Cup, Shanhan brings even more experience and leadership to a Devils room stacked with veterans and is expected to see regular ice-time as a forward most likely on the third line with Brian Rolston and center John Madden.

Shanahan who was the Devils 1st round selection and 2nd overall selection in 1987, joins Brian Rolston, Bobby Holik and Scott Clemmensen as ex-Devils to sign with their former club this season. He is well remembered by Devils fans for his decision to leave the Devils in free agency to sign with the St. Louis Blues on July 25, 1991. A move that resulted in Hall-of-Famer Scott Stevens arriving in New Jersey for compensation.

Shanahan, who started skating in New Jersey on Saturday, will not join the team until the contract is settled. It is expected that he will eventually sign a pro-rated contract at a salary of 1.5M for this season.

The highly touted prospect of the New York Islanders scored his first NHL goal last night (the Game Winning goal, no less) and contributed an assist in the Islanders’ 3-1 win over the New Jersey Devils last night at the Prudential Center. The win broke New York’s losing streak at 6 games. Blake Comeau and Trent Hunter (empty netter) also contributed goals for the Islanders. Travis Zajac tallied for the Devils.

Okposo scored on a power play late in the 3rd period to put the Islanders ahead for good. He parked himself in the slot and eluded the penalty-killing Devils (exhibiting poise and better hockey sense than one might expect out of a rookie), then one-timed a Richard Park feed past New Jersey goaltender Martin Brodeur. His assist on Comeau’s goal also showed he has a willingness to work hard in the corners and behind the net and also possesses a soft pair of hands in terms of passing.

The rookie’s goal was not the only highlight of the night for New York , who have inexplicably dominated the Devils this season. Goaltender Wade Dubielewicz was once again solid in net. He turned back 34 shots and made an excellent save on a partial breakaway by New Jersey’s John Madden.

The game featured three fights, two of which were won handily by the Devils. The Isles’ Matthew Spiller was decked by a thunderous blow from New Jersey’s Arron Asham. Rod Pelley dropped the much larger Josef Vasicek with a flurry of punches at the end of the game. Still, Islander fans must have appreciated the fire and passion that was demonstrated by their team. Those attributes were noticeably absent during the losing streak.

Coach Ted Nolan criticized his team earlier in the week for their collective lack of effort and put them through a series of torturous workouts to punish them. If last night’s game is any indication, the Coach’s message has been received loud and clear.

Indications are that the Thrashers would have no problem trading Holik, as they already tried to do so last fall.

Mark Everson of the New York Post confirms that the Thrashers and Devils discussed a swap involving Holik during the pre-season.

However, talks broke down when the Thrashers discovered that the player they were supposed to acquire, forward John Madden, came with “significant deferred payments.”

In New York, Brooks sees Holik as the perfect candidate to center the struggling Jagr. Holik is a defensive specialist who goes hard to the net and isn’t afraid to get involved physically when he has to.

The two Czech forwards have played together for 20 games during the 2003-04 season, and appeared to have some chemistry.

So, if Holik comes “for the right price,” Brooks believes that Rangers GM Glen Sather would be wise to re-acquire the former Ranger.

Even if Sather and Holik don’t appear to have much affinity towards each other. They’d only have to spend a couple of months together since Holik would be no more than a rental.

Olaf Kolzig, Washington Capitals (unrestricted free agent}
There are a strange set of circumstances unfolding in Washington as the once-dead Caps crawled to within a point of the Southeast Division lead at the break. They did so in spite of pretty ordinary goaltending from the classy veteran Kolzig, who has recorded a save percentage of more than .900 in just three of his past 11 games. Could GM George McPhee find a team looking for veteran backup help a la the Calgary Flames, who recently signed Curtis Joseph? The New York Rangers, perhaps? Or San Jose Sharks?

Brian Campbell, Buffalo Sabres (unrestricted free agent}
The plot thickens in Buffalo, or sickens if you’re a Sabres fan. Campbell won’t talk contract with the Sabres until after the season. The team will be life-and-death to make the playoffs and GM Darcy Regier can hardly afford to let another key piece of his franchise take a powder without getting something in return. And Campbell, an All-Star and strong candidate for the 2010 Canadian Olympic team, is the best defenseman who could be available on the market. The New York Rangers need help defensively, as do the Sharks.

Wade Redden, Ottawa Senators (unrestricted free agent}
Interesting choices face Ottawa GM Bryan Murray. He’d like to bring in Peter Forsberg if the talented center is healthy, but he also has to keep one eye on the future. Ottawa has pretty good defensive depth, so it’s unlikely he’ll offer Redden a contract for the $6.5 million he’s making this season. Would he deal Redden to, say, Edmonton, for some offensive depth if he can’t land Forsberg? There are few quality defensemen who could be on the move, so the asking price will be high.

Dan Boyle, Tampa Bay Lightning (unrestricted free agent}
Boyle has missed all but five games this season, but he did return to action just before the break and netted two goals against Ottawa. GM Jay Feaster is already in a salary-cap predicament with his three top forwards (Vincent Lecavalier, Martin St. Louis and Brad Richards). The question is whether Feaster can afford to lock up Boyle — a fine, underappreciated defenseman and another likely member of the 2010 Canadian Olympic team — without shedding one of the so-called triplets. The Bolts have little in the way of top prospects ready to play in the NHL and they need to restock the cupboard. The Rangers, Bruins and Sharks might be interested. If the Sens moved Redden, Boyle (an Ottawa native) would be a natural fit.

Marian Hossa, Atlanta Thrashers, RW (unrestricted free agent}
The top player that could be available on the market. GM Don Waddell will make one last-ditch effort to re-sign Hossa this week, but as one top agent told ESPN.com, there’s “not a chance” Hossa will sign in Atlanta. One of the top two-way players in the game despite an off year offensively (45 points in 49 games), Hossa should yield an attractive package of top picks, prospects and/or young NHLers. San Jose (possibly for center Patrick Marleau), Vancouver or Colorado could all use offensive help and Hossa could deliver. Hossa does not have a no-trade clause; hard to imagine a team acquiring Hossa without believing they could sign him long term.

Mats Sundin, Toronto Maple Leafs, C (unrestricted free agent}
There is still much debate about whether Sundin will waive his no-trade clause to allow the Leafs to restock their shelves. As a center enjoying his most productive season in years (54 points in 51 games at the break), Sundin should bring a premium package. Anaheim could use depth down the middle, while Vancouver, Colorado, Calgary and Philadelphia all have the needs and assets to put a deal together. Look for Jeff Carter to be part of any deal involving the Flyers. Sundin’s value will also go up if Forsberg can’t return or signs early.

Darcy Tucker, Toronto Maple Leafs, RW (three years left on four-year deal; $3M annual cap hit}
The Leafs will be in sell-off mode in the coming days (why else would they bring in interim GM Cliff Fletcher if not to clear the decks) and there might be some interest in the scrappy forward if a GM thinks he might be able to rekindle the fire that seems to have gone out this season for Tucker. His $9 million over three years will be a tough sell, though. He might fit well with Mike Keenan in Calgary, and Tucker is a Western Canadian boy.

Jason Blake, Toronto Maple Leafs, LW (four years left on five-year deal, $4M annual cap hit}
Speaking of the Leafs’ yard sale, Fletcher will no doubt be working the phones to try and find a taker for the fiery winger, who has grossly underachieved this season (just nine goals after a career-best 40 in 2006-07). Would the Islanders, who struggle to attract top free agents, want Blake back?

Jaromir Jagr, New York Rangers, RW (unrestricted free agent}
If the five-time scoring champ doesn’t collect 84 points and the Rangers don’t win at least one playoff round, then Jagr would become an unrestricted free agent. The team is on the playoff bubble, which raises the issue of whether GM Glen Sather would risk moving the talented 36-year-old winger, perhaps for defensive help, or seeing Jagr walk away for free in the offseason.

Mark Recchi, Atlanta Thrashers, RW (unrestricted free agent}
Just when it looked like it was over for the two-time Cup winner, Recchi has revived his career in Atlanta. He has 20 points in 23 games with the Thrashers, playing mostly with Ilya Kovalchuk. Still, does Recchi, who turns 40 this week, fit in long term on a team that needs to stop filling its lineup with castoffs and develop its own players? No. But Recchi might find a home on a playoff-bound team looking for scoring depth.

Bobby Holik, Atlanta Thrashers, C (unrestricted free agent}
Sources tell ESPN.com the New Jersey Devils inquired about Holik before the season, dangling John Madden. Why the Thrashers wouldn’t have jumped at such an offer is mind-boggling, but we digress. Holik was once considered one of the top shut-down playoff men in the business and may still have limited value on the open market. The Devils would be a good place to start.

Glen Murray, Boston Bruins, RW (one year left on contract; $4.15 million}
The big forward has missed 14 games and counting with a hip flexor injury and doesn’t fit into the Bruins’ plans moving forward. He’s a big ticket, but for a team with cap room and offensive needs like the Vancouver Canucks, it might be a good fit.

Michael Ryder, Montreal Canadiens, RW (unrestricted free agent}
The Newfoundland native scored 30 goals in each of the first two seasons after the lockout, but is having a miserable campaign in 2007-08 with just eight goals in 44 games. That said, Ryder has come around of late with two goals in the past four games. He might not yield much for the Habs, but there will certainly be interest. Perhaps from Colorado? The Avs are in desperate need of offensive help with Joe Sakic and Ryan Smyth on the injury shelf.