Have the New Jersey Devils Developed a Reputation for Being Soft?

There was a time when teams feared facing the New Jersey Devils. It was understandable with players like Scott Stevens and Ken Daneyko patrolling the blue line. But these days there is no Stevens, no Daneyko and unfortunately opposing players feel as though they no longer have anything to fear. I heard it mentioned on the Devils radio broadcast that opponents no longer respect New Jersey’s team toughness. I thought about it for a moment before realizing it may not be entirely true. The Devils do not have a player that can intimidate the competition physically….or do they? Sometimes it’s amazing how much perception differs with reality. After the Montreal game, all the talk surrounded P.K. Subban and the physicality of the Canadiens. The consensus was that Subban was throwing his body all over the ice, hi-lighted by a massive hit and rookie Adam Larsson. Subban drilled the young defenseman so hard the impact bruised Larsson’s back forcing him to sit at least...