Interesting

[SJ20]

Not sure what to make of this. But here goes. Look at this Devils team, and the teams we played in the postseason of 2012. I mean, it was less than a calendar year ago. It was not even a full season ago since we had the shortened season.

Devils: We suck balls
Panthers: Really suck balls. Worst team in the league.
Flyers: Same as us. Suck balls.
Rangers: Compared to what they were last season they suck balls and are fighting just to make the playoffs as an 8th seed.

And yes, the Kings are solid but, they were much better than their 8th seed last season. They got better last year after the coaching change, and adding Carter, who is another scoring option (lit it up this year, hello Lou).

In no way am I trying to diminish what the team accomplished last season. They went much farther than any of us expected. Just trying to figure this out. Wouldn't call them a fluke. A fluke would be one game or even one series. Of course this team got hot at the right time and had a lot of contributions by the lower lines such as the Bernier/Carter/Gio line. But this is odd. Was it that the eastern conference teams just weren't that great and therefore the Devils looked better than we thought they were? Either way, Lou has a lot of work to do this offseason.

 

[Nasty_Magician]

Well the Rangers lost half their roster. Now if we have a problem with not having enough top line guys and too many 3rd/4th line guys, they have the exact opposite problem, they lost all of their depth for this season. Prust, Dubinsky, Rupp, Anisimov, aren't going to carry a team but to lose all of them is rough.

The Flyers and Panthers have been fighting an uphill battle with injuries all year. That's not to say they haven't taken a step back, but Fleishmann was hurt, Versteeg was hurt, I'm pretty sure Weiss was hurt.

Flyers D is in shambles and Hartnell missed I think 6 weeks. There are certain variables you just can't account for, injuries being one of them.

 

[MCDevils]

Parity.

Montreal had the 3rd overall pick last year, and look where they are now.

Everything is so even now.

 

[nj_cup]

think it says a lot about our run to the finals last year and how it was great matchup after great matchup.

devils get the flyers in the 1st round i think the flyers steam roll us.
devils get the rangers in the 2nd or 1st round and i think they win in 7.

when you get the flyers after "their cup" against the pens its a great matchup.
when you get the rangers after playing back to back hard fought "8 game series" they will be tired.

 

[TheSgtDabbs]

Hard to downplay what the Devils did last year. The were barely given a chance to win against the Panthers, let alone beat the Flyers AND Rangers back to back. You can call it a lucky matchup, I call it being hot at the right time. Getting to the Finals in the NHL is not a fluke. That's not to say that there are teams that COULD have beaten us that we didn't play (i.e. Pens), but that is the way playoffs in sports are. You play the teams you play, and winning is winning.

 

[nj_cup]

dabbs i get what your saying and im not trying to sell the devils short on their accomplishment. but there are things to be considered that also factor in. were the kings a "typical" 8th seed? i dont think they were they were very good on paper. flip the kings and the flames who finished 9th. i believe the canucks beat them easily and who knows what happens.

 

[TheSgtDabbs]

They definitely weren't a typical 8th seed. The Devils also weren't a typical 6th seed ether. Again match-ups also play an important role. Despite how good a team is there are always teams that they don't match-up well against. If the Pens play the Rangers 1st round, could give them issues...