Sutter Ushers a New Brand of Devils’ Hockey Into Newark
This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.

From the day he was hired, it was apparent that new head coach Brent Sutter was the right choice for the Devils. Moving into a new arena in Newark, it was time for the team to establish a new identity for itself, one that contrasted sharply with the cautious approach that’s marked the past 15 years.
Although it’s true that the indomitable Martin Brodeur remains between the pipes, most of the other stalwarts from their decade-plus run of excellence are long gone. In order for the team to thrive moving forward, a new approach, built to make the most of the team’s complementary talents, was clearly in order. And with Scott Gomez (Rangers) and Brian Rafalski (Red Wings) no longer in the mix, the timing was perfect for a new coach to come in and put his stamp on the team.
“Losing (Gomez and Rafalski) is going to be tough,” Brodeur said. “Both of them logged a lot of ice time for us, but I like the moves that we’ve made. We’ve got some size for a change, we’ve got some big defensemen and a couple of big forwards (Arron Asham and Dainius Zubrus) and hopefully that’s going to even out the loss of two key offensive players.”
In Sutter, GM Lou Lamoriello has added a strong personality whose tremendous on-ice experience will give him the cachet he needs to get through to his players. And perhaps just as important, Sutter should not be expected to kowtow to Lamoriello’s wishes. Put bluntly, it’s unlikely that Sutter would buckle in fear of the possibility that Lamoriello will give him the axe on the eve of the post-season, as he did to Claude Julien last spring.
“We’ve changed things as far as the way we want to play,” Sutter said. “We want to be more of an aggressive-type team, but with intelligence, allowing everyone to be involved in different areas of the ice whether it’s on the offensive or defensive side. There are some things that are different than (the Devils) have done (in the past). I’m not saying that’s good, bad, or indifferent, but a coach comes in believing in a certain philosophy, whether you’re coaching pros or juniors.”
Indeed, Sutter enjoyed great success as the coach of the WHL’s Red Deer Rebels, giving him a great understanding of what it takes to make young players tick in today’s hockey environment. And lest the veterans question his lack of coaching experience at the NHL level, Sutter’s two Cup rings (won with the Islanders in the early 1980s) and four finals appearances should be more than enough to gain the ear of the most jaded Devil.
“I was brought in here to be who I am,” Sutter continued. “I think I’m fair, but at the same time my expectations are high for the players, which they should want. They should want to have success, but there’s a certain way to do that. You’ve got to play together as a team, and have that pack mentality, and we want to get our team to have that identity.”
One player expected to see a dramatic rise in importance under Sutter is young rearguard Andy Greene, whose offensive skills make him the ideal candidate to replace some of the minutes Rafalski previously logged on the Devils’ power play.
“He’s played well,” Sutter said of Greene. “He’s very poised, he’s got ice in his veins, he doesn’t seem to get rattled too much, he just takes it as it comes. I like that about a player, especially on the back end.”
It would be unfair to say that the Devils’ playoff hopes are inextricably tied to the success — or failure — of Greene, but like many of Sutter’s charges, he’ll need to have a strong season supporting Brodeur if the team’s first season in Newark is to be a success. And with Sutter behind the bench — and the incomparable Larry Robinson working as his assistant — their odds for Greene’s success are that much greater.