When I started writing for this blog a little over ten years ago, the Devils were still among the model franchises in the league, or at least they still had that type of lingering shine about them. The Devils were stumbling through a lockout-shortened 2013 season, having just lost their captain and (arguably) top forward to free agency after falling two wins short of the Stanley Cup in 2012. The Devils had started off that season well, but things had cratered after a 9-2-3 start, thanks primarily to poor goaltending and a lack…




