In a first of many posts, we here on Running With The Devils will recap the 2009-2010 Devils’ season. We’ll cover everything; the good, the bad and the ugly. Took kick off the series, I’ll look at the season achievements of the Devils.

Coming into the 2009-2010 season, the Devils had several questions throughout their lineup. Would an infusion of young talent pan out? Would Jacques Lemaire bring the team success? How would Martin Brodeur respond after missing significant time with a torn bicep injury last season? And, finally, could the Devils make a deep playoff run? The team would answer all of these questions, with some encouraging and disappointing answers.

The Devils opened the season losing two games, and the team looked disorganized and not prepared. But after those losses, the Devils took off. They corrected several problems, and finished the 2009 calendar year sitting 28-10-1. That record included a 9-2-1 record in November and an 11-4 month in December. The team played solid on all fronts, finishing 2009 with 2.77 goals per game (11th in the league) while averaging 29.8 shots on goal (tied for 15th). The powerplay stepped up, converting on 20.8% of their chances (tied for ninth). The defense took care of their end, only allowing 27.7 shots per game (tied for third), allowing 2.18 goals per game (second in the league) and killing 82.6% of penalties taken.

Some individual players also found success early in the season. Brodeur, coming off a serious injury in 2008, played a solid first three months of the season. He made history on December 21 when he shut out the Penguins, 4-0, at the Igloo. That shutout, number 104 of Brodeur’s career, broke a tie with Terry Sawchuk for the most career shutouts. It became another great milestone in Brodeur’s path to an eventual Hall of Fame induction. Zach Parise finished with 17 goals, 25 assists and 42 points, and those numbers came after the left-winger went through a dry spell in December. But it wasn’t all roses for the Devils.

The Devils never played with a healthy roster during the first three months. Patrik Elias missed time recovering from a groin injury early in the season. Paul Martin and Jay Pandolfo joined the injury list after a game against Pittsburgh October 24. Johnny Oduya joined that list later in the month after a game in Boston, leaving with a lower-body injury. All three of the players would go on to miss the entire month of November. Dainius Zubrus, Rob Niedermayer and David Clarkson joined that list in November, and Bryce Salvador missed time in December. Some of the players returned before the end of the year, but the Devils still had to plug holes with young players while dealing with these injures.

But the Devils couldn’t sustain their early season success in 2010. Read after the jump for the rest of the recap, including the Devils’ second half of the season.

Soon, Devils’ general manager Lou Lamoriello will begin a search for the 11th Devils coach in the past 13 years. With a new coach comes new changes. One of those changes should be the naming of a new team captain.

It’s never a comfortable feeling to call out the team’s captain. But what has Jamie Langenbrunner shown this year to convince anybody he deserves the “C” he wears on his jersey? Near the end of the season, he refused to speak to the media after a disagreement with then-coach Jacques Lemaire. It seemed to be the boiling point for Langenbrunner, who never seemed to mesh well with Lemaire. This frustration carried over to the playoffs, where he finished with one point in the five game series loss.

I don’t think Langenbrunner gave up on the Devils. But, when the team needed his leadership the most, he seemed to disappear, worrying more about personal milestones than the state of the team. For this, I believe there needs to be a change of the guard. But who can take over the Devils’ captaincy? Below are some of my suggestions:

1. Martin Brodeur

It seems odd that a goalie would be named captain, but it’s already happened in the league. In 2008, the Vancouver Canucks decided to name Roberto Luongo captain. While the move would be unconventional, Brodeur is one of the unquestioned leaders of this team. He wouldn’t be able to discuss penalties, etc. on the ice, and he can’t wear the “C” on his chest. But his leadership, both on and off the ice, would be what counts the most.

Who is more qualified for that leadership but Brodeur? He’s backstopped the Devils to three Stanley Cups, and he’s won four Vezina trophies. He’s a constant competitor, and while it would be an unconventional choice, Brodeur deserves some consideration if a change is made. Brodeur has been so influential, the NHL even created the “Brodeur Rule” after his run-ins with Sean Avery. Brodeur constantly brings his best effort night in and night out. And, while skill doesn’t usually determine the captain, he’s arguably the best player on the ice. Brodeur would also represent the organization well in dealing with any decisions, etc. from the NHL. As I said above, the move would be unconventional. But Brodeur has been the backbone of this team for several years. I believe he deserves consideration if the captain position becomes an open competition.

2. Zach Parise

Parise, who has quickly become one of the best Devils, should be seriously considered for the captaincy if a change is made. Parise, who was drafted in 2003, constantly ranks among the top scorers in the NHL. This past season, he averaged a point-per-game and led the team in assists. It’s not only his offensive output that qualifies him for the captain position. It’s the overall play while on the ice.

Parise never stops hustling and working on the ice. Even during the playoff loss to the Flyers, Parise tried to work through constant double teams and Chris Pronger. He’s taken on more responsibility this season, playing on the power play. And he’s been the assistant captain for two seasons. With young captains like Sidney Crosby emerging throughout the league, it might be Parise’s time to step up and take the reins.

3. Patrik Elias

Elias is another player on this team that has a lot of experience, especially in the playoffs. He also has the advantage over Brodeur and Parise, having experience as the captain of this team. During the 2006 – 2007 season (his only year as captain), the Devils had a 49-24-9 record (107 points), their most wins in the past five years. They also clinched first in the Atlantic Division. But the team couldn’t escape the second round, losing 4-1 to the Ottawa Senators. In 75 games played that season, Elias tallied 69 points (21 goals, 48 assists) during the regular season and 10 points (one goal, nine assists) in the playoffs.

Elias has never seemed like a “ra-ra” type of leader. But the Devils’ all-time scoring leader brings a veteran presence and experience to the locker room. Like Brodeur, Elias is a champion, winning two Stanley Cups with the organization. He’s also been around long enough to know the Devils’ style of play. While he’s never been the same after contracting Hepatitis A, he’s still an above-average player. He’s also got the experience of being a captain. As the leader, Elias helped the Devils advance past the first round, which is more than Langenbrunner has done in his three years wearing the “C”. Elias wouldn’t be a bad pick to captain this team.

I believe that Langenbrunner needs to be replaced as the captain. His listless, uninspiring play contributed to the Devils’ downfall against the Flyers. He began to disappear as the season progressed, and he even created controversy. I’ve always liked Langenbrunner as a player, but I just don’t think he has what it takes to be the captain. Picking either of the three players above would provide better leadership and, hopefully, help to bring the team out of the first round.

The Devils have been bounced in the first-round for the 3rd straight season which means this off-season should get pretty interesting. Lou certainly bit into the future of this team to bring in Kovalchuk because he wanted to win now and that is exactly what the Devils didn't do. The following is a list of guys that will be available for all teams to grab on July 1st and I quickly have a few thoughts about them. These are my thoughts and I am sure AJ will cover his thoughts at some point on this subject.

Ilya Kovalchuk - He's a player that possesses an amazing ability and any team is lucky to have him but in order to get him, that team will need to open their wallet. I don't see any reason why he would decide to stay in NJ. My feelings are that he won't be back in NJ next season unless it is to play against the Devils. At this point I am not even sure I really want him anyway. Like I said, he is a tremendous talent but the Devils have always been a team made of by the sum of its parts and not by one superstar.

Rob Neidermayer - Let him go, whatever reason he was here, it didn't work out.

Dean McAmmond - He had a decent season, for a guy who's career everyone thought was done. I don't see him returning to the Devils next season but based on the season he had (season, not post-season) I'm sure he'll land somewhere.

Paul Martin - The only on this list I am going to say to keep. He's our #1 D-man and yes he missed a lot of time this season but when he was playing, he played like our #1 D-man.

Mike Mottau - He'd have his moments where he did the right thing but he had a lot of moments where his mistakes hurt us. Never been a big fan so I say goodbye.

Martin Skoula - Why??? Didn't like this pickup when it happened and he brought nothing to the table. Bye bye!

Yann Danis - Honestly, I really don't know about Danis. He only got to play in a handful of games and you can't get any kind of rythmn riding the bench for most of the season. If he wants to come back then why not let him. It's not like next season Marty is magically going to not start 90% of the games.

Like I said, these are just a few quick thoughts of mine on the Devils UFA's this summer. I am sure over the coming weeks and months, we will get much deeper into our UFA's as well as our RFA's and Prospects. Gotta love getting bounced early in the playoffs don't you? It just gives you so much time to focus on stuff like this!!

Another year, another first-round playoff exit for the New Jersey Devils. The team couldn’t find the drive tonight, and the Philadelphia Flyers were able to withstand the Devils pressure in the first period. They even escaped with a lucky break, as Zach Parise sent the puck off the post with the Devils on the powerplay. After that, they put the clamp on, with Claude Giroux scoring two goals to end any thoughts of a Devils comeback. The Devils went down with a whimper, 3-0, and bow out in the first round for the third consecutive year.

Key Moments:

1. Jamie Langebrunner Tripping Penalty – 1:29 of the first period

Daniel Carcillo gave the Devils an early opportunity, allowing the Devils to get the first man advantage of the game. It opened the door to potentially give the Devils early momentum in this decisive game five. Less than 45 seconds later, that opportunity would disappear. Langenbrunner took a tripping penalty in the offensive zone, ending the Devils’ powerplay. The Flyers would use that penalty to their advantage only minutes later.

2. Daniel Briere’s Powerplay Goal Gives Flyers 1-0 Lead – 3:16 of the first period

The Flyers took advantage of their first powerplay opportunity, lighting the lamp to take an early 1-0 lead. With Langenbrunner in the box for tripping, Giroux held the puck in the Devils’ zone. He passed the puck to Briere in the left circle, but the puck skipped off Briere’s skate and between Martin Brodeur’s pads for Briere’s second goal of the series.

3. Colin White’s Double Minor – 4:15 of the second period

With the Devils down, 1-0, the Flyers gave them the opportunity to tie the game with a penalty to David Laliberte at 3:46 of the period. But, once again, the Devils took a penalty in the offensive zone to end the chance. Colin White, playing forward on the powerplay, took a whack at Brian Boucher after the goalie held the puck between his pads. A scuffle ensued, with White and Ian Laperriere trading a few late jabs. Both players went to the box, and the Devils continued to shoot themselves in the foot.

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Back in the year 2000, then-Devils coach Larry Robinson came into the locker room, hot-headed and pissed off with the way his team played. The Devils, down 3-1 to the Flyers in the Eastern Conference Finals, were one step away from elimination. Wanting to make his point known, Robinson kicked a garbage can across the locker room, hammering home his point that the Devils were better than their played showed. That moment became a famous one in Devils history, as the team turned its play around and won three straight, becoming the first team since the NHL expanded to come back from a 3-1 series deficit.

Ten years later, the Devils face the same situation. The Flyers are leading the series, 3-1, and the Devils have been outplayed in three of the four contests. Coming into tonight, the team needs to find a spark. That may have come from general manager Lou Lamoriello.

According to Star-Ledger reporter Steve Politi, Lamoriello went down to the visiting locker room after the Devils’ uninspiring 4-1 loss Tuesday night. The general manager, angry at his teams play, lit into the coaching staff. He got so angry, he picked up a jar of jelly and threw it at the wall. The jelly jar smashed, with its contents covering the locker room. While none of the players were in the room, it got Lamoriello’s message across – this is a team built for a deep playoff run, not a one-and-done playoff surprise.

It’s these moments of frustration we haven’t seen from any of the players. And, while they’ve remained largely positive, it’s refreshing to see someone in the organization get just as angry as the rest of us. But the incident differs from Robinson. Remember, Robinson did this in front of the players, getting their attention. Lamoriello did this only in front of the coaches, so it’s a smaller audience. But I think it had the same meaning. This is the head of the team. Lamoriello controls what players sit in that locker room next season. When the head man isn’t happy, no one should feel particularly comfortable.

While it didn’t have the shock factor for all of the players, this should still get the players fired up. As I said, this is the guy who controls the contracts of the players in the locker room. He expects results, and these players aren’t delivering. The Devils should make a mental note with this. Lamoriello’s anger not only affects the coaches, but it has a trickle-down effect. I would expect this to be a contributing factor to a more spirited performance tonight.

Hell, maybe if the Devils win the series, we can bookmark the “Jelly Jar” incident as another great locker-room outburst in Devils’ history.

Tomorrow night can be a sad night at the Rock. The Devils, who outplayed the Penguins all year and clinched second in the conference, can be eliminated in the first round of the players for the third consecutive season. Down 3-1, and with the way the Devils have played, this looks almost certain. The Devils face a steep uphill climb to just get a victory tomorrow night.

Despite the odds, the Devils can still stage a comeback. But, in order to be competitive, the team needs leadership, and those leaders need to step up quickly. Who can step up to provide the leadership necessary to lead the team? Here are a few of my options:

1. Coach Jacques Lemaire

Lemaire hasn’t been doing so well in this series. It looks like Flyers’ coach Peter Laviolette has thoroughly outcoached him. The Flyers’ forecheck has been terrific, they’ve continually attacked the Devils’ defense, and the team has never stopped moving since game one. Lemaire has seem subdued, almost emotionally detached to the situation going on around him. But I believe Lemaire can begin a Devils’ turnaround by making a few simple adjustments.

First, Lemaire needs to actually coach. While watching the games, Lemaire seems to take a hands-off approach, especially when the Devils need him most. Lemaire needs to get in the face of his players. He needs to be there, getting in players ears. He needs to make the adjustments in between periods to keep this team sharp. I know Lemaire has been hands-off, but down 3-1, it’s time to break the mold. I’d like to see Lemaire get a little more proactive on the bench and institute in-period changes. It’s the only way to keep up with a Flyers team that has outworked the Devils in four of the series five games.

Lemaire also has the background to help the team rescue the series. In 2003, with the Minnesota Wild, Lemaire pulled his team back from two 3-1 series deficits. They first came back against the Colorado Avalanche in the Western Conference quarterfinals, effectively ending Patrick Roy’s career. They repeated the feat in the next round, defeating the Vancouver Canucks. His experience in this situation can and should be used to help the team respond.

Lemaire knows the time for speeches and talking is over.

"It’s been four speeches that we put on and there will be a fifth one," Lemaire said to Tom Gulitti of the Bergen Record. "There’s a time for speeches. You can’t look for speeches. You’ve just got to get the work done."

2. Colin White

In 2000, the Devils had great leadership throughout the locker room. Scott Stevens was the unquestioned leader of the team, but they also had great leadership from Ken Daneyko and Scott Niedermayer. White was also on that squad. With the defense playing subpar during this series, the Devils need someone to step up and lead the blue line. While White may not be the best blueliner, he’s the senior leader of that group. White needs to step up and get the defense playing well. The defense hasn’t played well in their own zone, and White needs to be the one to hold people accountable. He should be the vocal leader of the group, reminding the defenseman to move the puck and make the smart play. He should be riding defenseman when they take dumb penalties or take a shift off. I haven’t seen anyone step up this season to be the leader of the defense. In this situation, the team needs someone to do that, and White’s been around long enough to know what the Devils expect from their defenseman. He should step up, carry the torch and lead the defense.

The Flyers fans let it be known last night what they thought about the Devils chances of coming back from a 3-1 series deficit again. As the final seconds ticked away last night, the 19,709 and fans in the building started to chant "It's All Over" and honestly, why shouldn't they?

I'm a Devils fan, its the reason I write this blog but even I am full of doubt when it comes to this team. The product I've been shown so far in the post-season is not one I can be happy with. They haven't played well at all this series and the way the Flyers have dominated them at even stregth is what really bothers me.

Yes, the Devils have come back from 3-1 before, in fact it was done against the Flyers and more specifically it was done against the current Flyers goaltender. Believe it or not, it has been done 21 times out of 234 oppurtunities and most recently it was done last season as the Capitals came back to win their first round series against the New York Rangers. The problem is, the Devils aren't playing very good hockey at the moment and really haven't matched up well against the Flyers all season.

So can they do it? As I mentioned, it was Boucher who allowed it to happen to Philly in 2000 and Jaques Lemaire is the only coach to rally his team from a 3-1 series deficit twice in the same playoff year (2003 Minnesota Wild) so Lemaire knows what it takes. So to answer my question, yes it is doable it just remains to be seen if this Devils team can overcome the problems they are having to do it.

The Flyers announced this morning that Simon Gagne and Jeff Carter will not be making the trip to NJ for Philadelphia tomorrow night. Gagne has a broken toe and Carter has a broken foot. Both players are day-to-day, which I believe in Gagne's case but not Carter's.

The bottom line is this, as fans we need to go out and support the Devils tomorrow night because if we believe in this team, maybe, just maybe they will start to believe in themselves. Who's with me??

Last night, the Devils showed some solid effort against the Philadelphia Flyers. They did drop game one, 2-1, but the team played well defensively and even had a solid penalty kill. But the Devils failed to do one thing: score on the powerplay. And, in this Eastern Conference quarterfinals matchup, the Devils need to score with the man advantage to beat their rivals.

One of the biggest turning points of last night’s game one loss came in the third period. The Flyers’ Oskars Bartulis received a four minute double-minor for a high stick that cut David Clarkson. The Devils, down 2-0 at the time, had a golden opportunity. If they could score at least one goal, they’d be right back in the game. The penalty, taken only 2:12 into the period, would also allow the Devils an early opportunity to get into the game.

Instead of taking advantage of the opportunity, the Devils squandered their chance. They couldn’t set up anything, and they recorded only two scoring chances the entire advantage. Their futility on that specific powerplay summed up the Devils man advantage play last night. The Devils routinely struggled to set up any offense, and they weren’t moving the puck quick enough. As a result, the Flyers were able to apply steady pressure to the powerplay unit. The penalty killers got into passing lanes and blocked several shots, frustrating the Devils scorers.

It was the Devils’ powerplay that held them back from a win last night. If it continues to struggle, the powerplay may also cost the Devils the series.

If the special teams will be a deciding factor, the Devils need to get back to basics to make it work. One of the major problems last night was the lack of puck movement. Too many times, the Devils’ powerplay got stuck depending on one man, whether it was Ilya Kovalchuk or Paul Martin at the point or the forwards down low. The team shouldn’t have a “me vs. the entire defense” mentality. If the Devils begin to move the puck, they can get the Flyers defense standing still. When a penalty-killing unit gets flat-footed, they’ll react slower. That’s exactly how the Flyers scored on their second opportunity of the night.

Moving the puck also takes away some of the Flyers’ aggressive play on the penalty kill. As I said above, one of the biggest issues last night was the aggressive play of the Flyers’ penalty killers. They had their sticks in the passing lanes, and they sacrificed the body to take away shot attempts. Their penalty killers also played physical hockey, pinning Devils’ players to the boards and giving them some hard shots. Moving the puck takes away the ability for the penalty killers to successfully pursue like they did. Instead, the Flyers penalty killers would need to stay near in their box or diamond formation. If one decided to pursue, the Devils could make that aggressive player pay with a well-timed pass.

The good news is that the Devils spent the entire practice today working on the powerplay, including how to enter the zone and set up. The extra work will, hopefully, pay off in tomorrow night’s game. The Flyers will give the Devils plenty of man-advantage opportunities. If their powerplay can rise to the occassion, the Devils can use the Flyers’ undisciplined play against them.

As the first game of their playoff series looms, we here at Running With The Devils are going to break down the matchup between the Flyers and the Devils. In the first installment of this series, we’ll take a look at the forwards for both teams.

Philadelphia Flyers

Injuries have cost the team several key players, mostly in net. But one of the biggest injuries came when Jeff Carter went down with injury. While he hoped to be back for the playoffs, it looks like the Flyers will be without him. Carter, who led the team in goals and finished second in points, was an absolute Devil killer this season. In five games, he recorded three goals, two of which were tying goals. He also netted six game-winning goals, and recorded 22 powerplay points. The Flyers still have explosive scorers in Mike Richards and Danny Briere. Simon Gagne has always hurt the Devils. But, after that, the performance falls off. Claude Giroux can score big goals, but he can also disappear for large stretches of time. The same can be said for rookie James van Riemsdyk.

Overall, the Flyers ranked eighth in goals and 11th in assists. Their specialty teams are explosive, ranking second in powerplay goals and third in powerplay assists. The Flyers forwards are a dangerous bunch, but if the Devils can shut down their top guy, they should be able to manage playing against them.

New Jersey Devils

The Devils scored 22 goals fewer than the Flyers this season, but it doesn’t mean the team’s scorers can’t do some damage. The acquisition of Ilya Kovalchuk seemed to pay off, as the Devils newest left- winger contributed 10 goals and 27 assists. He instantly updated the powerplay, and those assists show he’s willing to make the sacrifices necessary to get the goal. Zach Parise, who finished with 38 goals and 88 points, is another talented forward. Whether chasing down a loose puck or putting home a one-timer, he hustles during every shift. And these aren’t the only two bright spots. Players like Travis Zajac (25 goals, a new career high), Jamie Langenbrunner, and Patrik Elias are always dangerous.

One of the keys to the offense will be secondary scoring. We all know the top two lines can produce. But who will come up clutch? Can David Clarkson continue to improve? Will Rob Niedermayer and Dean McAmmond contribute anything offensively? Can Brian Rolston find his goal scoring touch? In the playoffs, these “role” players are usually the ones that make an impact. I think the Devils have more depth and more role players who can score these key goals.

Here’s the stat line: the Devils ranked 19th in the league in goals and 17th in assists this past season. The powerplay, while not great, was better this season, tying for 21st in powerplay goals and 21st in powerplay assists. It’s not dangerous, but the Devils can do some damage with their special teams.

So, overall, who owns the advantage. I think the teams are almost dead even, but I give the Devils a slight nod. I think the ability to run out two great scoring lines gives them a big advantage in the series. However, the powerplay ability of the Flyers should not be forgotten. The Devils will need to be smart, because the Flyers have the potential to put their great powerplay to work. As I said, the teams draw almost even, but in the end, I believe the Devils are a tad bit stronger.

Danny Briere Photo Credit: Jim McIsaac/Getty Images

Brian Rolston Photo Credit: Mike Stobe/Getty Images