NEWARK, N.J. -- When it came time to project the top teams in the Eastern Conference in this lockout-shortened season, the defending champion New Jersey Devils were one of the easiest to overlook.
Zach Parise had left to sign a $98 million contract with Minnesota as a free agent. Ilya Kovalchuk wasn't scoring like in the old days. Martin Brodeur was on his way to being 41 years old. David Clarkson wasn't going to score anywhere close to 30 goals like he did last year. And there was a no-name defence.
Indeed, the negatives went on and on and on.
Well, guess what?
Roughly a quarter of the way into the 48-game season, the No. 1 team in the East -- and the No. 3 club overall in the NHL -- is the Devils (8-2-3).
