Boring is beautiful: the Devils' defense-first style may be hell to watch, but it's hard to argue with the results - Eastern Conference: Atlantic Division

Hockey Digest, Nov, 2003 by John Kreiser

WHO NEEDS EXCITEMENT? THE New Jersey Devils are more than happy to settle for victories--and the rest of the Atlantic is willing to follow their lead.

The Devils won the division title last season and went on to capture the Stanley Cup by suffocating their opponents. They led the NHL in goals-allowed, with just 1.99 per game, thanks largely to following coach Pat Burns' defensive system and letting Vezina winner Martin Brodeur stop anything that happened to get through. Offense often appeared to be an afterthought, although on the rare occasion that Burns let his minions attack, they showed bursts of speed and creativity.

So what if they can't sell out playoff games? And who cares that their TV ratings are barely higher than a test pattern? Not GM Lou Lamoriello, whose sole interest is winning another Cup. Nothing else matters to hockey's best GM. And having seen the results a successful checking system can produce, the rest of the division is prepared to follow suit.

Getting the same results as the Devils is another matter entirely. The Philadelphia Flyers, with defense-first Ken Hitchcock behind the bench, have a host of big-name scorers but will count on a new goal-tender, Jeff Hackett, as they try to get past their rivals from the other end of the Turnpike. The Flyers finished just a point behind the Devils, but that forced them into a first-round matchup with the Toronto Maple Leafs and an early exit.

The Devils' two area rivals are a step behind. Rangers coach/GM Glen Sather built the Edmonton dynasty of the '80s on offense, but it appears he's finally realized that the days of trying to outgun the opposition are over. Defensive consciousness will finally get some attention as hockey's biggest spenders try to end a six-year playoff drought, the longest in team history.

On Long Island, new coach Steve Stirling wants to install a Devils-type system, but that doesn't figure to be easy on the Islanders, a team that fell apart down the stretch.

And off in the distance, even the Pittsburgh Penguins--one of the last bastions of run-and-gun hockey--are changing their feathers. With the end of Mario Lemieux's career visible and management husbanding every dollar, the Pens are hoping that young, cheap forwards and new coach Ed Olczyk will keep them afloat.

1. New Jersey Devils

THIS IS THE PROTOTYPE OF THE successful 21st-century team: excellent goaltending, solid defense, superb system, and excellent GM. They still won't be very exciting to watch, but don't bet against the Devils making a return trip to the Finals--they're still the only Eastern team since 1994 to win the Cup.

On the attack: There really are Devils who can score, though they often seem to get lost in a checking system that has survived a quintet of coaches over the past decade. Patrik Elias (28 goals), playoff hero Jamie Langenbrunner (22 goals, plus 11 in the playoffs) and Jeff Friesen (23 goals) would post much bigger numbers on another team. John Madden (19 goals) is a terrific two-way player who figures to have a big season as he enters his walk year. More is needed from Scott Gomez (55 points), especially because the Devils let Joe Nieuwendyk walk.

Under fire: At 39, Scott Stevens shows no signs of slowing down. No defenseman plays a better physical game, especially at playoff time. Scott Niedermayer and Brian Rafalski handle the puck-carrying, and Colin White is a physical presence. GM Lou Lamoriello hopes youngsters like David Hale can step in for the now-retired Ken Daneyko and Tommy Albelin.

Between the pipes: With Patrick Roy having hung up his pads, Martin Brodeur reigns as arguably the best goaltender in hockey. He already owns three rings and finally added the Vezina Trophy to his collection in June. Brodeur is technically sound, as well as being the best stick-handling goaltender in NHL history. And no one shakes off a bad goal better. Corey Schwab is likely to stay on as a backup.

Behind the bench: Pat Burns justified Lamoriello's faith in him by winning a championship in his first season in the Swamp. Burns didn't make many friends among his players with his maniacal devotion to defense (nor many among the media with his grouchiness), but the results speak for themselves. The challenge is to do it again.

Bottom line: The rest of the division may try to play like the Devils, but Lamoriello has built the prototype 21st-century franchise. As long as Stevens and Brodeur stay healthy, there shouldn't be any significant dropoff from last season, especially in a weakened division. They're the champs until dethroned.

2. Philadelphia Flyers

AS THE FLYERS APPROACH THE 30th anniversary of their first Cup, they could really use another Bernie Parent Roman Cechmanek took the fall for last spring's first-round loss to Toronto and was peddled to Los Angeles, but will Jeff Hackett be any better on a team whose nucleus is getting older by the minute?

On the attack: If reputation were accomplishment, the Flyers would lead the league in offense. But it's not, and the Flyers had no 30-goal or 60-point scorers despite a roster that includes the likes of Jeremy Roenick, Tony Amonte, Mark Recchi, Keith Primeau, and John LeClair. The most important forwards may be a pair of kids--Simon Gagne and Justin Williams--who both missed significant time with injuries. Hitchcock did get the vets to buy into his defensive system, but they've got to produce more goals.