Two Problems With NJ?

I was visiting my favorite New Jersey Devils forum on the internet yesterday and I noticed two things. One, people really seem to freak out when you lose the first two games of the season. I think I said it in my recap yesterday but I will say it again. Just because you lose a few games to start off the season doesnt mean that your season is done and you should mail in the next 80 games. Someone brought up the point that no team that has started 0-3 has ever gone on to win the cup. To that I have to ask, how many people gave the Devils a chance in 2000 when the Flyers took a 3-1 series lead? I only bring that up because these crazy little stats that people dig up are only meant to be broken. Sure, with the Olympics happening this season and a number of Devils likely to be playing in Vancouver this February, I would like to stockpile as many wins in the beginning of the season as possible so as not to burn out our Olympians later in the season but if that doesn’t happen, it’s not the end of the world.

The second big discussion on the forums was about Marty Brodeur. Some people claim he’s still the best while other claim he’s done. I’m sort of in the middle and I am sure this won’t make me extremely popular among Devils fans. Marty Brodeur was once the best goalie in the league, I mean he backstopped the Devils to 3 cups in 4 appearences but the truth of the matter is that he is 37 years old. Evetually he isn’t going to be as quick and polished as he was 10+ years ago. Now I’ve said it for the last 2 years and I will say it again, if someone came to me and said I will trade you a decent package for Marty Brodeur, I would more than likely do it at this point. Marty is still one of the better goalies in the league but certainly not the best anymore. Sure, I like superstars to stay with one team and retire that way but if you can help your team fill some needs, then why not? I mean I am sure Marty would have a decent value on the market. I wouldn’t actively shop him but if the oppurtunity arose, I wouldn’t just turn it down, that’s all I am saying.

In the first two games of the season, I have certainly noticed that Marty seems to have some kind of confidence problem. I mean the Flyers game was down right awful for him and the winning goal by the Rangers the other night was pretty soft as well but he’s always let hin soft goals from 20 to 30 feet out. I was more concerned with the goal that tied the game at 2. The Rangers got him moving from side to side and beat him low stick side. I thought Marty didn’t get side to side quick enough, something I always felt he was good at in the past. So is that his age catching up to him? I predicted that he would win 40+ games this season but after the first two, I don’t like what I see in him.

With that said, he did give up the GW with 2:10 left to play in the second meaning that the Devils had 22:10 to put the equalizer past Henrik but that proved to be something they couldn’t do. That problem is something that isn’t on Marty and something that needs to be addressed soon.