Are the Devils the Best Team in the East?

[GMRwings1983 8,804]

Look out, because the New Jersey Devils have been incredibly hot lately. I think they've won something like 9 out of the last 10 games.

This team is full of players who have won the Cup multiple times, they've got 3 lines that can score, and they have Brodeur coming back from injury.

I know the Bruins have been great this year, but that franchise hasn't gotten out of the 1st round in nearly 10 years. At this point I'd favor the Devils in a playoff series against them.

[dat's sick 1,002]

I might give that title to the Caps right now, but the Devils are playing great lately..

I'd still probably put my money on the Bruins in a series against them.

Sooner or later the Bruins ARE going to get past the 1st round, and I think this is the year.

Edited February 7, 2009 by dat's sick

[StaticWithABeat 0]

I would agree...NJ getting lots of offense + ability to grind teams into submission + tons of playoff experience + great goaltending does not bode well for anyone. Boston has developed into a great all-around team this year but when it comes to long playoff grind-fests, NJ wins that battle more often than not, especially against a relatively young, skill-heavy team like BOS that doesn't typically play that style.

[b.shanafan14 733]

Two words: Brendan Shanahan .... JK

... kinda. Sorry, I'll always have huge Shanny manlove. That whole team is playing lights out, and they've gotten ridiculous goaltending that you aren't supposed to get when you lose Brodeur.

Shanny dropped the mits at age 40 last night, btw.

[Mors 201]

Two words: Brendan Shanahan .... JK

... kinda. Sorry, I'll always have huge Shanny manlove. That whole team is playing lights out, and they've gotten ridiculous goaltending that you aren't supposed to get when you lose Brodeur.

Shanny dropped the mits at age 40 last night, btw.

Agreed, Shanahan rocks

[MacK_Attack 108]

There's a few pretty good teams at the top of the East. Boston & Jersey would be my vote, but we'll see how everybody looks after 3pm on March 4th.

[e_prime 1,936]

Yeah, watching the Devils play two inspired, back-to-back OT winning games -- vs the Bruins and Pens, last week was pretty impressive.

The game vs. the Bruins never should have gone into overtime as the Devils gave up three goals in the third... most likely wouldn't have happened with Brodeur in net... but Elias tied up with less than two minutes to go. Langenbrunner scores less than two minutes into OT.

Langenbrunner with tying (less than a minute left in the game) ...and game winning goal (4 minutes into OT) vs. the Penguins the next night.

They're beating or punishing the teams that they should or need be beating (ATL, VAN, COL, NYI, NASH, MTL)

and having an eight game winning streak snapped by Washington is not impossible to contemplate. (however the caps are 4-0-3 vs. Devils of late.)

All around the team looks solid. The addition of Shanny was a great move. Brodur is coming back soon.

They're always a threat in the playoffs.

All that being said, I'm still putting my money behind the Bruins making it to the SCF.

[GMRwings1983 8,804]

I might give that title to the Caps right now, but the Devils are playing great lately..

I'd still probably put my money on the Bruins in a series against them.

Sooner or later the Bruins ARE going to get past the 1st round, and I think this is the year.

The Caps are playing great, but they don't have the defense or goaltending needed to win the Cup.

Also, Tim Thomas reminds me too much of Marty Turco with his wild style of goaltending. As Turco has shown in the playoffs, that kind of style can be conducive in a long series.

But, I guess the Bruins are the team everyone is jumping on right now because of their surprising resurgence. We shall see what we shall see.

[miller76 463]

By the looks of the game NJ played tonight, you would think they have a lot of holes to fill on that team. They just lost 3-1 against the Kings. They didn't get their lone goal until the last 6-7 minutes of the game.

This thread should have been about the Kings. Who have been actually playing really well. They're 10th in the west now!

[GMRwings1983 8,804]

By the looks of the game NJ played tonight, you would think they have a lot of holes to fill on that team. They just lost 3-1 against the Kings. They didn't get their lone goal until the last 6-7 minutes of the game.

This thread should have been about the Kings. Who have been actually playing really well. They're 10th in the west now!

That's why I started this thread. I was hoping it would put a stop to the Devils success.

Maybe I need to do the same kind of thread about Boston now.

[miller76 463]

That's why I started this thread. I was hoping it would put a stop to the Devils success.

Maybe I need to do the same kind of thread about Boston now.

I am all for that. Thats why I started one about SJ.