After the team surprised many in the NHL with a strong season and an eye-opening playoff, many felt this team was ready to take the next step and become a perennial playoff contender with Stanley Cup ambitions on their mind.
The team has taken a step back as their goaltending has been abysmal and many players are not playing up to their calibre.
This has not gone unnoticed by head coach Lindy Ruff, however, during a press conference earlier yesterday afternoon he felt he needed to tell the media that they are at fault for the team's woes.
It's safe to say these comments did not go over well with many in the media including Frank Seravalli of thedailyfaceoff.com.
Sarah valley who has been in the business for quite some time gave his thoughts on what Ruff had to say.
NHL players are trained to deal with reporters and are told what to say and how to handle the tough questions.
I highly doubt that the media's questions are the reason why the devils are struggling and I think it's more to the fact the team is still not a complete team by any stretch and requires other changes including a certifiable #1 goaltender that will give them the saves they need to win hockey games.
Through 56 games, the team is 28-24-4 with 60 points and a � 10 goal differential.
Even though they're only five points out of a playoff spot, many teams ahead of them are heating up and are preparing to solidify their positions.
I would expect general manager Tom Fitzgerald along with his staff to begin looking at themselves in the mirror and finding out what they need to fix their issues.
POLL | ||
Are the media the reason the Devils are not good this season? | ||
Yes - They always cause problems | 17 | 8.5 % |
No - The team isn't good enough | 183 | 91.5 % |
List of polls |