The 2010-2011 Season Review: Once Again, A Powerplay Failure

Ilya Kovalchuk led all scorers with 21 powerplay points. Photo Credit: Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

Another year, and yet another powerplay failure for the New Jersey Devils. We’ve grown accustomed to seeing the team falter with the man advantage season after season. This year proved no different. The team finished near the bottom of the league, a testament to their limited ability with the man advantage. That ineptitude cost them some wins and, in the end, was a major disappointment this season.

The Devils powerplay stood to improve from last season. The team did finish 11th during the regular season, scoring on 18.7% of their opportunities. To rank that high despite being 27th in penalties drawn was a testament to the player’s abilities to finish with the puck. Looking deeper into the numbers showed a flawed ranking. New Jersey ranked tied for 21st in powerplay goals (51) and sat alone in 21st place for powerplay assists. It wasn’t great, but it was a decent powerplay.

The team lost their powerplay mojo come playoff time. In their first round loss to the Philadelphia Flyers, they went a measly 4-for-32 (12.5%). Half of their total came in one game. It showed, in the brightest of lights, the ineptitude of the Devils’ powerplay.

With a new coaching change came the anticipation of an improved powerplay. John MacLean promised a more up tempo, offensive-minded system, which sounded great. More puck possession would lead to more penalties drawn and, hopefully, more powerplay opportunities. Getting the team into an offensive mindset could help develop their finishing abilities on the powerplay. MacLean and Devils’ general manager Lou Lamoriello brought in Adam Oates to help improve their special teams, a move I thought would drastically improve the team’s performance. It wouldn’t work out the way anyone planned.

In the team’s hellish first half of the season, the powerplay experienced more downs than ups. The first two-plus months of the season were especially futile, with the team going 7-for-74 (9.4%). It followed right along with the team’s overall offensive struggles, never presenting a serious threat to opponents. It fluctuated throughout the season, with a few positive moments. But the team once again struggled to capitalize with the man advantage.

Clearly, the first half of the season affected the Devils numbers significantly. Their offense, stagnant and predictable, couldn’t buy a goal with Donald Trump’s money. That play led to a decreased opportunity for powerplay chances. They ranked last in overall powerplay chances, sitting 20 behind the 29th-place Ottawa Senators. Not drawing penalties and failing to capitalize on opportunities spells disaster. It was the perfect storm of ineffectiveness.

Who knows if the team will improve next year. Improving the powerplay isn’t as simple as plugging in a few spare parts. It takes time and dedication from the players to learn and stick to a plan. If Oates remains, he’ll have another year to improve this anemic powerplay. Hopefully it’ll improve. But with the Devils, powerplay success is never a guarantee.

The 2010-2011 Player Review: Johan Hedberg

Johan Hedberg proved to be invaluable to the Devils this season. Photo Credit: Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

Throughout the offseason, The Devils’ Den will break down the 2010-2011 Devils season. We’ll cover the big team stories, but also offer a breakdown of individual player performances. To start the brand-new feature, we lead off with Johan Hedberg.

Devils’ general manager Lou Lamoriello always shops for a goalie during the offseason. The organization doesn’t need a starter, with Martin Brodeur firmly entrenched as the franchise leader and one of the best in the game. But he can’t start every game (although he tries), which means a rotating door of backups routinely sit the bench and start between 10-12 games a season. This year, Lamoriello pegged Hedberg to hold that spot. He didn’t seem like a big piece to the overall puzzle, but Hedberg became an important piece to the Devils season and contributed to the team’s second-half turnaround.

Hedberg came to the Devils after four uninspiring seasons with the Atlanta Thrashers. He spent most of the time splitting duty with various goalies, never becoming the undisputed top goalie. His numbers weren’t great, as he recorded only one year with a save percentage above .900 and two with goals-against averages under 3.00. Lamoriello brought him in on a one-year, $1.5 million contract, handing him a no-trade clause. With that, the Devils had their backup situation settled.

With Brodeur patrolling the blue paint, Hedberg expected to play a limited role this season. Fantasy hockey projections pegged him for only 17 games played. But rarely do things go according to plan. A Patrick Kane shot injured Brodeur’s elbow during the second period of a game on November 3, forcing Hedberg into action. The injury hampered Brodeur for most of the month, making Hedberg the number one starter. In 10 November games (eight starts), Hedberg went 4-2-1 with a 1.56 goals-against average and a .916 save percentage. It’s no surprise the Devils played NHL-.500 hockey that month, going 5-5-1 with Hedberg as the starter.

Brodeur would return to the net in December, relegating Hedberg to backup duty once again. But he wouldn’t wait long to step back into the starting role. After relieving Brodeur in a 4-1 loss against the Maple Leafs on December 26, Lemaire stuck with Hedberg over Brodeur.He started five of the next six games, but couldn’t buy a win. His performance was unspectacular – a 2-4-0 record with a 2.57 goals-against average and a .875 save percentage – and he once again found himself on the bench. The roller coaster ride, however, wasn’t done.

Yet another injury to Brodeur gave Hedberg yet another chance to be the team’s number one goalie in February, near the beginning of the team’s second-half run. The Devils backup replaced Brodeur during a February 6 game against the Montreal Canadiens. Brodeur tweaked his knee, spraining his MCL in the win. With him on the shelf, Hedberg stepped into the spotlight. He turned in his best stretch of the season, recording a 7-1-0 record in nine games (eight starts) with a stellar 1.14 goals-against average and .955 save percentage. He recorded two shutouts during that time as well, helping propel the Devils on their second-half surge.

It would all end for Hedberg after the stellar February. Brodeur returned to the net, and Hedberg didn’t make another start until April 3. He finished the season 15-12-2 with a 2.38 goals-against average and .911 save percentage. His goals-against ranked 11th in the league, which surprised several people. His performance earned him the annual Players Player award from his teammates.