NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — For the past 15 years, the New Jersey Devils reported to training camp with the expectation of competing for the Stanley Cup.
The playoffs? That was a mere formality for the three-time Cup winners, with the only unknowns being whether the Devils would win the Atlantic Division and where they would be seeded in the Eastern Conference for the postseason.
That’s all changed heading into this season. New Jersey missed the playoffs last year for the first time since 1996 and there is no guarantee that new coach Peter DeBoer can get them back with a team that has some talent but a lot more question marks.
