The New Jersey Devils have little room for error as team chases playoff spot

The New Jersey Devils had a big win on Thursday, beating the Dallas Stars 6-2 in Jake Allen’s debut for the team. But with only 16 games left in their season, their chances of making the playoffs are getting slimmer and slimmer.

Colby Cohen and Tyler Yaremchuk talked about if they think the Devils will squeeze in to the playoffs on Daily Faceoff Live.

Colby Cohen: I don’t think so, I think it’s just going to be too little, too late. You look at the inexperience on their blueline, and you look at the way that you’re seeing a little bit of high risk, high reward hockey from some of these young players who are learning. You’re not holding it against them, they’re being put in situations that are incredibly difficult for young, first-year defensemen and expecting them to play against other top teams night in and night out and be successful. It’s a big ask. It’s one thing to have a good night here and a good night there, it’s another thing to do it consistently.

But I will say this: when you have Jake Allen in the net or Kahkonen from the San Jose trade, it does change the confidence level, and it also changes the margin for error. I’m not saying that they just brought in Carey Price or Connor Hellebuyck, but you got a major upgrade in goal. You’ve got a guy who you can trust and count on to make the first save. I think when that raises the margin of error, your team can play with a little bit more confidence, you don’t see those goals go in that deflate you. Although that goal did go in early in that hockey game last night, Jake Allen did make quite a few saves the rest of the game.

But, I do think it’s too little, too late for the New Jersey Devils.

Tyler Yaremchuk: Yeah, it’s one thing to sit there and look at how you’re four points back of the New York Islanders for that last wild card spot. You could even, if you’re New Jersey, sit there and say “hey, you got a game in hand on Philly and you’re eight points back, maybe that’s attainable”. 

But then the issue is Pittsburgh, if they win their game in hand, has jumped you. Buffalo is right around where you are, and you’ve got to jump Washington and the Red Wings. And at this point in the season, there’s so many inter-conference and inter-division games to be played, jumping that many teams in the final 15, 16, 17 games the year, the math just isn’t quite there.

Colby Cohen: Somebody is always just getting points.

Tyler Yaremchuk: And on some nights both teams are getting points in today’s NHL with the existence of the loser point. So even if New Jersey were to go 12-4, I don’t think that’s even going to be enough for them to get in because some other teams probably going to go 10-6 and stay ahead of you.

Colby Cohen: If you’re in a playoff spot right now, and you finish the year at .500% the rest of the way, you’re probably making the playoffs, because of the dynamic of who’s playing who this time of year, and the reality of everybody picking up points on a nightly basis.

You can watch the full episode here…