An early season West Coast road trip should afford the Devils the opportunity to soak in some sun, sand and great weather along the California coast. The players could scope out Disneyland in Anaheim, and maybe do some sightseeing in Vancouver and Chicago.

But this early-season road trip will allow for none of those off-day activities. The Devils need to pull together as a team, and they hope the next five games signal a turnaround for their abysmal start.

It's been a well chronicled 2-6-1 start for the New Jersey Devils. There were stretches of great play (the two shutout wins), but it's been mostly low points throughout the first nine games. Defensive struggles, questionable goaltending and a lack of finish characterize the Devils play, and the team hasn't figured out how to break their slump.

The lack of success has already created frustration within the locker room.

"I think we’re all really frustrated with the start that we’ve had and the results we’ve had," Zach Parise said to Tom Gulitti of the Bergen Record. "We’ve got a lot of frustrated guys in here."

To say the five game swing against Western Conference opponents, beginning tomorrow night against the Sharks, isn't important would be a gross understatement. The Devils need to improve their play significantly, and they can use the time away from home to focus on hockey and not their terrible home record or lack of scoring.

Martin Brodeur believes the road trip will help develop chemistry, which can lead to better performances and, hopefully, better wins.

"We don’t know much about each other," Brodeur said to Rich Chere of the Star-Ledger. "On the road trips (during which) we spent a little time together, we won both games. The Washington (trip) we didn’t spend any time, so this will help us build chemistry and to play for one another.

"Not winning isn’t fun, but guys are getting along and I think this road trip hopefully will help us bond and get that little extra you need to build a team."

The Devils problems are numerous, and there isn't one concrete issue that will lead to a turnaround. Developing better chemistry should help better team play on the ice, as Brodeur hints too. Several communication breakdowns, especially in the defensive zone, cost the Devils. Having the ability to spend time with teammates and get to know their tendencies, etc. better should begin to alleviate this problem.

Team-bonding wouldn't just help on the ice. If players feel comfortable with each other off the ice, it goes a long way into building a successful team. Not every guy will invite the team over for beers and bar-b-que during the offseason. But knowing how to talk to the other plays in the room helps the team leadership determine the best way to deal with the locker room. Team chemistry always tiptoes a fine line between well-balanced and train wreck, and a more comfortable locker room can lead to more well-balanced New Jersey squad.

There's plenty of issues the Devils need to work out to right their season, but team chemistry has been talked about a ton throughout the struggles. The Devils finally have the time to develop the chemistry several players are seeking. It could help make teammates more accountable and help them to play for each other.

The bottom line isn't about team chemistry, it's about wins and losses. If the Devils come back from this road trip with a less than stellar record, team chemistry won't be the only issue the team will face.

Photo Credit: AP Photo

A 1-4-1 usually leads to changes throughout a team. Coach John MacLean made maybe the most severe changes Monday, reshuffling the lineup and moving players. With the new lines comes the same question - can the Devils finally finish their opportunities and produce?

Through their first six games, the Devils offense has been futile. They've only scored ten goals, which has them in a three way tie near the bottom of the league. The team's goal differential is -11, good for last in the league. That futility made changes necessary. While MacLean doesn't expect an explosion of offense, he does want to see more energy from the lines.

"I think we get a little a little zip on each line, a little energy on each line and that’s what I’m looking for, get some goals out of that with a little tweak here," he said.

Team captain Jamie Langenbrunner believes the line change will help get the Devils back to basics.

"We have to simplify it and just get back to work," the captain said. "I think we’re trying to make something happen when it isn’t there and that goes for a lot of us. We’re trying to find a way to score every shift and that’s not the way you play hockey. You play the game and then the opportunities will come. I don’t think it’s from a lack of effort. It’s a lack of playing in the right areas and doing the little things and that’s what we’ve been missing"

So can the new line changes really "simplify it" and find the back of the net? Here are the revised lines, with our analysis of what each brings to the table.

Line 1: Zach Parise - Travis Zajac - Dainius Zubrus

Well, the "ZIP Line" experiment lasted all of six games. With Zach Parise underperforming so far this season, MacLean reunited a line that experienced success last season. While Dainius Zubrus doesn't command the offensive skill of Ilya Kovalchuk, he brings a big body that can crash the net. That should give someone like Parise more space to work with in the open zone. It'll also open up opportunities for Travis Zajac. With Kovalchuk, the line seemed too hesitant and tried to make two or three unnecessary passes while in the zone. The addition of Zubrus on the right wing should eliminate those extra passes and refocus both Parise and Zajac.

Line 2: Rod Pelley - Jason Arnott - Jamie Langenbrunner*

So far this season, Rod Pelley has been the most consistent Devil. He's brought energy and intensity, and by moving him up, MacLean is showing the trust he has in Pelley. Langenbrunner admitted that Pelley will bring energy back to their second line.

"He’s played well," Langenbrunner said. "I suppose they think that he can bring his energy and the way he has been playing to us because Arnie and I have not played well the last few games and we know that and today’s practice watching the way (Pelley is) just out there working hard is something we all need to do. I think they tried to do that by the way they put somebody on every line. They’re trying get that attitude back."

Pelley won't bring much offense to the table, but he will hopefully serve the same role as Zubrus - a body who gets to the net and creates chaos. Even if Pelley plays great, Jason Arnott and Langenbrunner need to step up their play. This line could be very underrated, but the two veterans need to play a bigger role. Both players +/- numbers are negative, and they need to play focused and productive hockey.

For more analysis on the new lines, click read more.

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When the name Matt Taormina, an undrafted 23-year old rookie who played with Lowell last season, first began to make headlines, many fans were surprised.

Taormina isn’t overpowering, and at 5’10″, 185 lbs is the smallest Devils defender on the roster. It’s a good thing size doesn’t indicate a player’s skill. Despite being the smallest, Taormina is the biggest player on the Devils blue line right now. The rookie defenseman is quickly becoming the Devils best offensive defenseman.

Taormina’s success should come as no surprise. Last year, his first season with Lowell, the defenseman played in 70 regular season games, totaling 50 points (10 goals, 40 assists). He continued that production in the playoffs, collecting four points (one goal, three assists) in five games. So far, he leads all defenseman with 3 points, and sits among the team’s top five scorers.

Success, however, hasn’t gone to the head of the rookie defenseman. He’s quick to point out the team’s overall struggle and credit other players in the lineup, including his playing partner, Colin White.

“He’s helping me every day in practice, games, on the bench, during the play,” Taormina said of White. “He’s constantly talking to me, telling me what he likes, what he does and little tricks that make the game easier on myself that I wouldn’t think of.”

Taormina hasn’t only flashed his offensive skill. John MacLean trusts the rookie, and gives him ample opportunities to play in all situations. In the past three games, Taormina received over 20 minutes of ice time, including a team-high 25 minutes in Friday’s game against Colorado.

“Playing time is usually dictated by how you’re playing,” MacLan said. “He was playing really well, so he got some good ice time.”

In a season that hasn’t had many bright spots, Taormina has been a pleasant surprise. I never expected him to produce, but he’s quickly moving himself up the depth chart. He’s shown that he can not only handle playing in the NHL, but he’s played at a high level. Has he been perfect? No. He’s made some mistakes, and those will happen every now and then. But Taormina has shown he’s capable of handling the responsibilities of an everyday NHL defenseman.

His emergence has helped ease the load on Andy Greene. The young defenseman, in the final year of his contract, hasn’t met expectations to begin the season. Greene, the best offensive defenseman for the Devils last season, has recorded two points in six games. He hasn’t looked comfortable, and the team has leaned on Taormina to provide the spark on the powerplay and in the offensive zone.

Taormina isn’t the best of the Devils’ rookies or the best on the blue line. But he’s been solid so far this season, and he’s quickly becoming the Devils’ best blueline scorer.

Photo Credit: SpeakingoftheDevils.com

TSN has released their weekly "Power Rankings" and the Devils have fallen from #6 all the way to #30. Honestly though, if 1-4-1 is the worst start in 27 years, how spoiled have we been over the years??!!

The Devils lost to the Avalanche on Friday night and then got embarrassed by the Bruins in front of their home crowd on Saturday night. So the question is, what's wrong with the Devils?

After losing to Boston, the Devils dropped to 1-4-1. That’s their worst start in 27 years since 1983-84, the team’s second season in New Jersey, when they opened 1-12-0 under coach Billy MacMillan. The problem for me isn't their record because the optimist in me says the Devils could benefit playing bad hockey in the beginning of the season instead of the end, like they have in recent years. No, the problem for me is that the are dead last when it comes to "average goals/game". That isn't what I expect from a team that has guys named Kovalchuk and Parise in the lineup.

On defense, this team isn't doing well either.NJ has given up 21 goals this year which is only one less than the league worst Anaheim Ducks. It would appear the 2nd period is not our friend as the Devils have given up a league leading 12 goals in the second. This is NJ hockey??

Marty Broduer -  Maybe someone needs to explain this to me but I don't understand why Marty was even in the game on Saturday night. I thought that Hedberg was going to start one of the games this weekend and since Marty played Friday night, meant we would see Hedberg on Saturday. We didn't, Marty looked old and tired and we lost. PERIOD!!

Alex Urbom - Certainly struggling over the last couple of games, the Devils decided to ship him back to Albany and recalled Olivier Magnan-Grenier. I think the writing was on the wall Saturday night for this kid when MacLean benched him for the 3rd period.

Now, it is way too early to panic and I am not nowhere near that level. (My football team is a different story but thats not discussed here!!). MacLean was caught switching lines in practice this morning which is a very good thing because maybe it will generate some scoring, something the Devils need to do badly!!

Ilya Kovalchuk skated at right wing on a line with Patrik Elias and Jacob Josefson. Zach Parise and Travis Zajac remained with Dainius Zubrus. Jason Arnott centered for Rod Pelley and Jamie Langenbrunner and the fourth line was Adam Mair, Tim Sestito and David Clarkson.

The Devils get a couple of days to work on things and develop a good game plan. The don't play again until Thursday when the Devils head to Montreal and historically, Marty has been pretty good in front of his hometown.

The Devils received bittersweet news on left-winger Brian Rolston yesterday. The bitter was that Rolston would miss the next four-to-six weeks to undergo surgery to repair a sports hernia, marking the third serious injury to Devils' regular this season.

While the Devils will miss Rolston's presence on the third line and powerplay, the team gets some much needed cap relief by assigning him to the long-term injured reserve. By moving Rolston to the LTIR, the Devils can exceed the cap by $5,062,500, giving them a significant amount of cap space to fill out their lineup. While it's another short-term solution to a major problem, the injury will finally allow the Devils to have a full roster for regular season games.

Devils president and general manager Lou Lamoriello will have a plethora of players he can call up from Albany to fill out the roster. Here's who I think should get the call.

1. Jacob Josefson - The Swedish center made it to the last round of cuts before being sent down by the Devils last week. Josefson showed some promise in the preseason, playing well and seemingly winning the third-line center job. He hasn't shown much offensively, and his faceoffs still need work. But he's shown he can handle playing at an NHL level, and should be considered for a call-up. The Devils also seem to be set at center with both Adam Mair and Rod Pelley battling it out for the third and fourth line center positions. Josefson would simply be a depth move, which may keep him in the AHL.

2. Mattias Tedenby - The Devils' other Swedish prospect began to find himself near the end of the preseason. He looked more and more comfortable on the ice, and he began to play a more confident game. Tedenby could probably use some experience at the AHL level, but sticking him on the fourth line wouldn't be a terrible idea. He can give the Devils some pop on the fourth line, and he may even net a few goals when everything is said and done. The Devils need to put together a fourth-line, so Tedenby's chances are probably better than Josefson's to make the team.

3. Vladimir Zharkov - Zharkov has already shown he can play on the big stage. Last season he played very well for the Devils, recording 10 assists in 40 games. He never lit the lamp, but he showed some offensive promise. Zharkov could always be counted on to bring a consistent effort to the ice night in and night out. While both Zharkov and Tedenby are right wingers, Zharkov is a lefty, and could make the move to left wing if needed.

4. Matt Corrente - Everyone in the organization loved what Corrente brought to the table during training camp, but the team sent him down in the last round of cuts. With the Devils able to add a few depth players, I think it's a safe bet to assume that Corrente will re-jon the Devils. The young defenseman brings toughness to the blue line, and isn't afraid to drop the gloves. He's could be a big bruiser in the mold of Anton Volchenkov, and since the team raved about him, I'd expect them to bring him back.

Those four players seem like the most likely to be recalled by the Devils. What do you think? Is there anyone I'm missing? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!

Photo Credit: Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

Wow...so many people hitting the panic button already. Haven't we been here before? No, wait, actually last season was worse because we walked away from the first two games without a point., this year we at least have one point.

OK, so it appeared after the game against the Stars that the Devils are suffering from the same issues as last season, which is not playing a full 60 minutes, making stupid mistakes and coughing up a win. If you go back and read the analysis from a lot of the games last season, you'll see that I mention the full 60 minute thing A LOT but honestly, I know it happens, I just hope MacLean can minimize the amount of times it does. I was annoyed at the mistakes made Friday night but at least they got a point out of the game.

Saturday is a completely different story. Lets start with the end of the game. If Leblond (PLx3) is going to conduct himself like he did and shorthand the team, please tell us now. Instigating a fight in the final 5 minutes of a blowout is NEVER a good idea. Then, not to have any regrets about what had happened on the ice when he knew the rules and knew a suspension is likely....COME ON!!

So, on to the Caps game. I'll be honest, I didn't expect a win. It was the second night of hockey and they were playing a Caps team that lost the night before. It was the Caps home opener and lets be honest, the Caps are a VERY good hockey team. While the thrashing that the Devils received was an downer and left a bad feeling inside, there is a bigger issue to discuss. I'm not really touching on the Kovalchuk fighting thing because we all know how bad an idea that is.

The 20-man roster isn't going to work. I never thought it would but I didn't think it would take 2 games into the season to prove that. We know PLx3 is suspended for this afternoon's game but the we don't know if Vochenkov and Rolston will be available. If they aren't we are left with 15 skaters.. REALLY?? That is NOT going to work. Injuries happen, stupid penalties resulting in suspensions happen, its part of the game. You can't expect to play an entire season with a 20 man roster. Moves need to happen, they need to happen NOW so just make them and allow the team to create chemistry. It's October, its a LONG season but the sooner this happens, the better.

I am certainly not hitting the panic button. 2 games, 1 point and 1 pounding. You can't put too much emphasis on games played in October. Like I said, last season it was 2 games and no points and the Devils went on to have a decent season. Same can be said about Marty, you can't get on him too much about what happened over the weekend. If anything, this weekend says to me that Lou has to fix the cap issues for good. Players will get injured and there has to be room to deal with that. Lou, like the rest of the team has some work to do.

I will say this, Jason Arnott was THE shining poing of the weekend. 2 games and 2 goals, that is exactly what we traded for. Kovalchuk on the other hand....pick it up Kovy!!

It's finally here.

The Devils will open the 2010-2011 season tonight at home, facing off against the Dallas Stars at 7 p.m. Darren already previewed the Devils offense, defense and goalie expectations for the season, so make sure you give those a read. Instead of giving a lengthy preview, Darren and I have narrowed down this season into 10 questions we have about the Devils this season.

And, drumroll please....

1. Will the Devils get secondary scoring from Patrik Elias - Jason Arnott - Jamie Langenbrunner so that the top line of Ilya Kovalchuk - Travis Zajac - Zach Parise stays intact?

For me, I think I would feel better if the Devils moved Jamie to the third line and move David Clarkson up to play with Arnott and Elias. The way that Clarkson goes to the net, which isn't Langenbrunner's game, would open up the ice more for Arnott and Elias. With that said, yes, I do believe that enough scoring from Arnott and Elias will allow the top line to remain in tact. Of course, the other question is can Kovy, Parise and Zajac produce themselves but I will let you answer that for yourself.

2. How Many Games Will Johan Hedberg Play?

Every year we ask this question. Marty is 38 and, realistically, shouldn't be carrying such a workload every season. It's a pretty well known fact that this is Marty's call. If the NHL's greatest goaltender wants to play 70-75 games a season and feels healthy enough to do so, then who is to argue. My hope is that Hedberg gets the call in at least 20 games this season.

3. Can the Devils' defense be intimidating? Will Anton Volchenkov do what Chris Pronger does for the Flyers?

In a short answer, no. Volchenkov isn't Pronger. Pronger averages almost a minute and a half more ice time per game then Volchenkov, and Prongers 55 points completely outweighs Volchenkov's 14 points. Thankfully, there is more to the game than that. The Flyers rolled over the Devils defense last spring, but the addition of Volchenov does give NJ an intimidating player on the blue-line. He can certainly lay down the big checks and isn't afraid to give up his body to block shots. So to answer this question, Volchenkov won't do what Pronger does in Philadelphia, but he does make NJ a better and more intimidating defense and that is really what we are looking for.

4. Will the perennial playoff contender get past the first round of the playoffs???

This is the question that I am sure will get asked many more times as the season moves along. On paper, this team is built to go deep into the playoffs. But that is only on paper. This team has to go out there and perform. I do believe in this team and I do believe this team has a deep run in their future.

5. Is Kovalchuk worth everything that happened since July 1st?

I'll be honest, having Ilya on this team makes me extremely nervous. We are tied to this guy for the next 15 years and this deal is not something the Devils do. Well, I guess they do because they did it but, ordinarily, they don't do. They are $35,835 under the cap and carrying 12 forwards, six defensemen and two goaltenders, which is the bare minimum. There is no flexibility if a player is ill or suffers a minor injury that sidelines him for a game or two. That would likely force the Devils to play a game with less than 18 skaters or cause them to make a roster move they really don't want to make.

For me, for all this to be a success, Ilya must be a 40 goal scorer (I would like 45 minumum) and must be the first Devil to reach 100 points and it all must happen THIS YEAR.

For the next five questions, follow after the jump!

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As the deadline for Devils' president and general manager Lou Lamoriello to get under the cap quickly approaches, several players names have been thrown into the fire of possible cap casualties.

Amid the usual Brian Rolston or Colin White discussion, one name has flown under the radar but presents the most intriguing situation. David Clarkson, the Devils' gritty power-forward, could be the biggest draw for teams looking to poach quality talent at a low price.

For a look at the reasons why Clarkson could end up traded, read after the jump!

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