Any optimism the New Jersey Devils had after the first game of the season, a 3-2 overtime win over the Philadelphia Flyers, was wiped out on Saturday night. The Devils lost 6-0 to the New York Islanders. 6-0! There are no good takeaways from a performance like that. 

The game against the Islanders was rough from the opening puck drop. The Devils were outplayed and looked out of sync. Then, the penalties and early goals caught up to them, and they were chasing the game. In short, for the Devils to win, they must control the pace and puck.

It’s something all coaches will preach: that a team must play in front of the puck and let their possession and pressure take over. The game against the Flyers saw them do just that, with their offense creating scoring chances and their speed setting up an effective forecheck in the offensive zone. 

Rarely, if ever, were the Devils chasing the play against the Flyers. Against the Islanders, it was a theme of the night. Simon Holmstom skated past Dougie Hamilton to find an easy goal at the net. Some chaos in front of goaltender Nico Daws allowed Brayden Schenn to score the Islanders' second goal. It’s one thing for the defense to struggle; it’s another for them to scramble in their zone. 

It’s a lingering concern about the Devils, and it showed up against the Islanders. They must control the pace to control the game. When the opposition does, they have no response. Moreover, the Devils have glaring weaknesses that teams can and will expose. 

The Devils are usually the team that plays fast and overwhelms the opposition. It’s been a staple since Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt became a top-line duo. The surprise in the latest game was that the Islanders also played fast and could not only keep up with the Devils but also expose them on the defensive end. It shouldn't surprise hockey fans since the Islanders have Pete DeBoer as their head coach and Matthew Schaefer on their defense, yet it still stood out about this new-look team on Long Island. 

They didn’t just beat finding open looks in the offensive zone either; they beat the Devils to the puck and won battles along the boards. Luke Hughes is a great skater for the defense, but the unit otherwise looks slow. 

This wasn’t an issue against the Flyers, a team that has plenty of skill but not the speed to gash a defense in space. It likely won’t be an issue against multiple teams around the league. However, it was an issue against the Islanders and will come up again against the fast teams around the league. 

It’s what makes Hughes a pivotal defenseman for the Devils. It’s also why the forwards, notably Hughes and Nico Hischier, skating back on the play go a long way. The Devils must lean into their speed, especially when it helps their defense.

This offseason, the Devils made significant changes. Sunny Mehta was hired as the general manager, and he overhauled the roster, especially the forward unit. The hope is that the Devils will look different this season; certainly, it was a hope for the fans. 

Yet, two games in, the Devils have the same identity. With Hughes, Bratt, and Hischier leading the team, they’ll play the same brand of hockey. While it doesn’t put them at the bottom of the standings, it doesn’t give them a high ceiling. 

In fairness, it’s only been two games. It’s something head coach Sheldon Keefe is well aware of as this team looks to shrug off the 6-0 loss. “We were playing preseason hockey against a team that was probably playing February-type hockey,” Keefe stated after the game. The Devils are still finding out what works and what doesn’t, and it will take a few games before they find a new identity to lean into. 

The Devils' next game is back at Prudential Center on Tuesday against the Utah Mammoth. The Mammoth are 2-0 and have outscored their opponents 10-1. They’ve proven they can control games and dictate the play, albeit against teams that aren’t expected to go far this season. 

The Devils will have their hands full with the Mammoth but will have plenty of tough games ahead. They are playing teams with tone-setters, and it makes the Devils' ability to control play all the more important. 

It’s still early on in the season, and there’s plenty of hockey left. However, these games are a small sample that is a preview of what’s to come. For now, the Devils still provide optimism, but not nearly as much as the fans anticipated when the puck dropped on opening night a few days ago.