Getty Image / Rich Grassele
There’s nothing like playing sports in the New York City media market. Only Philadelphia and Boston can even come close to the type of media pressure and negative attention put on underperforming teams and players.
But, it is rare to see a coach just straight up blame the media for underperformance. That’s exactly what New Jersey Devils Head Coach Lindy Ruff did.
The Devils’ power play has been dreadful lately. In their last 14 games, they’re 2-46 on the power play. That’s 4.3%. The worst team this season on the power play this season in the NHL is the Buffalo Sabres at 14.9%. 4.3% is pretty abysmal.
According to Lindy Ruff, that’s the media’s fault. Here’s NJ.com with more.
One instance of a Devils dud is on the power play, which laid another goose egg despite 11:52 minutes (!!!) with an extra attacker on five total opportunities. Ruff and Travis Green’s man advantage unit is now 2-for-46 in their last 14 games. Aside from bodies returning from injury and the Dawson Mercer-Jesper Bratt swap tonight, Ruff has done little to fix things.
Pressed on this after the game, Ruff said he’s working with his staff on better options – and said reporters were creating “excess pressure” by asking players about the lifeless unit.
“I imagine you’ve asked every player – now they’re feeling it and you guys are creating excess pressure,” Ruff told reporters. “Us as a staff will go through that power play. We change things up, we met with individual groups tonight – as opposed to when you meet with all 10 or 11 of your guys. We’ll go through the whole thing again and just try to get better.”
One question later, Ruff stormed off, answering just nine questions despite myriad issues facing his team.
Yeah, man. If the beat writers would just more pucks in deep and be willing to deflect pucks in front of net, the Devils would have a better power play.
The Devils were dominated, 5-1, by the rival New York Rangers. They’ve now lost three of four and are out of a playoff spot. But, if the media would just back off, they’d play better.