2010–11 New Jersey Devils season

The 2010–11 New Jersey Devils season was the team's 37th season for the National Hockey League (NHL) franchise that was established on June 11, 1974,[2] and 29th season since the franchise relocated to New Jersey to start the 1982–83 NHL season.

2010–11 New Jersey Devils
Division4th Atlantic
Conference11th Eastern
2010–11 record38–39–5
Home record22–16–3
Road record16–23–2
Goals for174
Goals against209
Team information
General managerLou Lamoriello
CoachJohn MacLean (Oct.–Dec.)
Jacques Lemaire (interim)
(Dec.–Apr.)
CaptainJamie Langenbrunner (Oct.–Jan.)
Vacant (Jan.–Apr.)
Alternate captainsPatrik Elias
Ilya Kovalchuk
Zach Parise
ArenaPrudential Center
Average attendance(As of Home Game #41)
Arena Capacity: 17,625
Average Draw: 14,776
Percentage: 83.84%
Total: 605,803[1]
Team leaders
GoalsIlya Kovalchuk (31)
AssistsPatrik Elias (41)
PointsPatrik Elias (62)
Penalty minutesDavid Clarkson (116)
Plus/minusMark Fayne (+10)
WinsMartin Brodeur (23)
Goals against averageJohan Hedberg (2.38)

The Devils posted a regular season record of 38 wins, 39 losses and 5 overtime/shootout losses for 81 points, failing to qualify for the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time since the 1995–96 season, ending their 13-season playoff streak. This was the first time the Devils finished the season with a losing record since the 1990–91 season. Their 174 goals scored were the lowest ever amount for the Devils in a non-lockout shortened season.

Off-season

On April 26, 2010, Jacques Lemaire announced that he would retire from coaching.[3] On June 17, the New Jersey Devils announced that John MacLean would become the 19th head coach in the franchise's history.[4] On June 29, the Devils announced that former NHL player Adam Oates will be the assistant coach for the team for the 2010–11 season.[5]

On July 19, Ilya Kovalchuk re-signed with the Devils to a 17-year, $102 million contract. The contract was front-loaded with minimal payments in the last few seasons, when Kovalchuk would be in his 40s and unlikely to play. The deal was subsequently rejected by the NHL as a circumvention of the NHL collective bargaining agreement. The Devils stated after the NHL rejection that they would appeal the decision under the "collective bargaining agreement" process.[6] On August 8, arbitrator Richard Bloch upheld the NHL's rejection of the contract, rendering Kovalchuk an unrestricted free agent again.[7] On September 4, the Devils re-submitted another contract to the NHL worth $100 million to be paid over 15 years. The deal was approved by the NHL the following week as part of an NHL–National Hockey League Players' Association agreement concerning contracts over five years in length.[8]

Regular season

An injury to Bryce Salvador allowed the Devils to avoid a major trade before the start of the regular season. They opened their regular season at home on October 8 with a 4–3 overtime loss to the Dallas Stars with only 20 players on the roster. Subsequent injuries to Anton Volchenkov and Brian Rolston, as well as a one-game suspension of Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblond after a 7–2 loss to the Washington Capitals, dropped the roster size to 17. The team and management have been under scrutiny for the decision to dress as few as 15 men (and two goaltenders) as a result of having too few funds for an average-sized roster.

After an NHL-worst 9–22–2 start to the season, John MacLean was fired as head coach, and Jacques Lemaire, who had retired as the Devils' head coach in the off-season, was hired as interim head coach.[9]

Following the trade of captain Jamie Langenbrunner, the Devils managed an astonishing turnaround. After the start of the second half of the season, the Devils saw a dramatic increase in offensive production, in addition to the outstanding performance by backup goaltender Johan Hedberg. The Devils turned their record around from 10–29–2 on January 9 to 32–32–4 by March 12, with a point percentage of over 80% during their 22–3–2 stretch. Following a win against New York Islanders on March 12, the Devils found themselves six points out of the final playoff berth with a game in hand on the eighth-placed New York Rangers, and a hope of making the playoffs for a 14th consecutive season had been renewed among the fans. The team faded, however, finishing 12 points behind the Rangers.

With the injured Zach Parise missing 69 of the Devils' 82 regular season games, the team struggled offensively, finishing 30th overall in goals scored with just 171 (excluding three shootout-winning goals). They also finished 30th overall in power-play goals scored, with 34, and power-play opportunities, with 237. However, the Devils were the most disciplined team in the league once again, with only 241 power-play opportunities against, and they tied the Los Angeles Kings for the fewest power-play goals allowed with 40.[10][11]

At the conclusion of the season, head coach Jacques Lemaire announced that he would not return to coach the Devils in the 2011–12 season.[12]

Playoffs

Following a 3–1 loss to the Montreal Canadiens on April 2, the Devils were eliminated from playoff contention for the first time since 1996.

Media

This season was Mike Emrick's final season as the television play-by-play announcer for the New Jersey Devils since he moved to NBC Sports. Steve Cangialosi would replace Emrick the following year. However, Chico Resch continued to be a TV color commentator. Radio coverage was still on WFAN with Matt Loughlin and Sherry Ross.

Standings

Divisional standings

Atlantic Division[13]
GP W L OTL ROW GF GA Pts
1 y-Philadelphia Flyers8247231244259223106
2 Pittsburgh Penguins824925839238199106
3 New York Rangers82443353523319893
4 New Jersey Devils82383953517420981
5 New York Islanders823039132622926473

Conference standings

Eastern Conference
R Div GP W L OTL ROW GF GA Pts
1 z – Washington CapitalsSE8248231143224197107
2 y – Philadelphia FlyersAT8247231244259223106
3 y – Boston BruinsNE8246251144246195103
4 Pittsburgh PenguinsAT824925839238199106
5 Tampa Bay LightningSE8246251140247240103
6 Montreal CanadiensNE82443084121620996
7 Buffalo SabresNE824329103824522996
8 New York RangersAT82443353523319893
8.5
9 Carolina HurricanesSE824031113523623991
10 Toronto Maple LeafsNE823734113221825185
11 New Jersey DevilsAT82383953517420981
12 Atlanta ThrashersSE823436122922326980
13 Ottawa SenatorsNE823240103019225074
14 New York IslandersAT823039132622926473
15 Florida PanthersSE823040122619522972

bold – qualified for playoffs; y – Won division; z – Placed first in conference (and division)
AT – Atlantic Division, NE – Northeast Division, SE – Southeast Division

Schedule and results

Pre-season

  Win   Loss   Overtime/Shootout Loss

Regular season

2010-11 Game Log: 38-39-5, 81 Points (Home: 22-16-3; Road: 16-23-2)
2010-11 Schedule

  Win (2 Points)   Loss (0 Points)   Overtime/Shootout Loss (1 Point)

Player statistics

Skaters

Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/− = Plus/Minus; PIM = Penalty Minutes

Goaltenders

Regular season
Player GP Min W L OT GA GAA SA Sv% SO G A PIM
Martin Brodeur563116232631272.451313.9036022
Johan Hedberg34171715122682.38777.9123014
Mike McKenna211801063.0556.8930000

Denotes player spent time with another team before joining Devils. Stats reflect time with Devils only.
Traded mid-season. Stats reflect time with Devils only.

Note:
Pos = Position; GPI = Games played in; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes; +/- = Plus/minus; PPG = Power-play goals; SHG = Short-handed goals; GWG = Game-winning goals
Min, TOI = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T,T/OT = Ties; OTL = Overtime losses; GA = Goals-against; GAA = Goals-against average; SO = Shutouts; SA = Shots against; SV = Shots saved; SV% = Save percentage;

Awards and records

Awards

Regular Season
PlayerAwardAwarded
Martin Brodeur[14]NHL Third Star of the WeekJanuary 24, 2011
Johan Hedberg[15]NHL Second Star of the WeekFebruary 21, 2011
Johan Hedberg[16]NHL Third Star of the MonthFebruary 2011

Records

Player Record (Amount) Achieved

Milestones

Regular Season
PlayerMilestoneReached
Jason Arnott1,100th Career NHL GameOctober 8, 2010
Matt Taormina1st Career NHL GameOctober 8, 2010
Alexander Urbom1st Career NHL GameOctober 8, 2010
Matt Taormina1st Career NHL Assist
1st Career NHL Point
October 13, 2010
Matthew Corrente1st Career NHL Assist
1st Career NHL Point
October 15, 2010
Matt Taormina1st Career NHL GoalOctober 15, 2010
Jacob Josefson1st Career NHL GameOctober 15, 2010
Olivier Magnan1st Career NHL GameOctober 21, 2010
Alexander Vasyunov1st Career NHL GameOctober 23, 2010
Alexander Vasyunov1st Career NHL Assist
1st Career NHL Point
October 29, 2010
Bradley Mills1st Career NHL GameOctober 30, 2010
Bradley Mills1st Career NHL Goal
1st Career NHL Point
November 3, 2010
Stephen Gionta1st Career NHL GameNovember 5, 2010
Mattias Tedenby1st Career NHL Game
1st Career NHL Assist
1st Career NHL Point
November 10, 2010
Mattias Tedenby1st Career NHL GoalNovember 12, 2010
Alexander Vasyunov1st Career NHL GoalNovember 12, 2010
Henrik Tallinder500th Career NHL GameNovember 18, 2010
Patrik Elias900th Career NHL GameNovember 20, 2010
Mark Fayne1st Career NHL GameNovember 22, 2010
Johan Hedberg300th Career NHL GameNovember 22, 2010
Colin White100th Career NHL AssistDecember 4, 2010
Colin White700th Career NHL GameDecember 6, 2010
Mark Fayne1st Career NHL Goal
1st Career NHL Point
December 15, 2010
Martin Brodeur1,100th Career NHL GameDecember 23, 2010
Mark Fayne1st Career NHL AssistDecember 26, 2010
Nick Palmieri1st Career NHL GoalJanuary 9, 2011
Jason Arnott500th Career NHL AssistJanuary 17, 2011
Vladimir Zharkov1st Career NHL GoalJanuary 17, 2011
Dainius Zubrus300th Career NHL AssistFebruary 3, 2011
Jacques Lemaire600th Career NHL Win (coach)February 10, 2011
Patrik Elias800th Career NHL PointFebruary 19, 2011
Anton Volchenkov100th Career NHL PointFebruary 19, 2011
Adam Mair600th Career NHL GameMarch 6, 2011
Jacob Josefson1st Career NHL Assist
1st Career NHL Point
March 6, 2011
Jacob Josefson1st Career NHL GoalMarch 12, 2011
Anssi Salmela100th Career NHL GameMarch 17, 2011
Dave Steckel300th Career NHL GameMarch 20, 2011
Travis Zajac400th Career NHL GameMarch 25, 2011
Rod Pelley200th Career NHL GameMarch 30, 2011
Brian Rolston400th Career NHL AssistApril 1, 2011
Ilya Kovalchuk700th Career NHL Game
700th Career NHL Point
April 6, 2011
Adam Henrique1st Career NHL GameApril 10, 2011
Alexander Urbom1st Career NHL Goal
1st Career NHL Point
April 10, 2011
David Clarkson100th Career NHL PointApril 10, 2011

Transactions

The Devils have been involved in the following transactions during the 2010–11 season.

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