Facing The Boogeyman: Can the New Jersey Devils FINALLY Beat the Carolina Hurricanes?

In this episode, Zach Berman previews the New Jersey Devils' upcoming game against the Carolina Hurricanes, highlighting the Devils' long-standing struggles against this opponent. He notes that the Hurricanes recently dominated the Florida Panthers and emphasizes how Carolina has consistently outplayed the Devils, both in the regular season and playoffs. Zach Berman expresses skepticism about New Jersey's chances, citing specific stats like the Hurricanes outscoring the Devils during power plays and describing Carolina as the Devils’ "boogeyman." Beyond the matchup, Zach Berman discusses the current state of the Devils, who have won two straight but remain outside the playoff picture. He references possible trades and management decisions, including speculation around Tom Fitzgerald and certain roster moves. Despite the recent wins, Zach Berman remains critical of the team’s direction and skeptical about quick fixes, urging the Devils to play a complete game and show progress—even just securing a point against Carolina would be seen as a step forward. The episode also takes a detour to analyze New York Rangers GM Chris Drury’s "rebuild letter" to fans, which Zach Berman mocks for being vague and lacking substance. He humorously compares the situations of the Rangers and Devils, pointing out both teams’ front office troubles and the challenge of making meaningful changes within a struggling organization. Looking ahead, Zach Berman outlines the Devils' schedule before the Olympic break, noting that the team has a relatively favorable stretch of games to gain ground in the standings. He sets expectations for how many games the Devils need to win to stay in contention and wraps up the episode by reinforcing his desire for management changes and acknowledging that fans may need to prepare for another frustrating result against Carolina. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.