Devils have ‘got to really be desperate’ with Green as coach

NEWARK, N.J. -- The New Jersey Devils play their first game under coach Travis Green on Tuesday with the clock on the 2024 NHL Trade Deadline (3 p.m. ET on Friday) and this season ticking.

"The runway is not that long, so we’ve got to really be desperate,” Devils center Jack Hughes said before New Jersey hosted the Florida Panthers at Prudential Center (7 p.m. ET; BSFL, MSG). “If we lose a couple more, we're out of the running, so we are playing with our lives right now."

Green replaces Lindy Ruff, who was fired Monday after four seasons. Green, who is New Jersey’s fourth coach since 2019, was its associate coach this season. He previously coached the Vancouver Canucks from 2017-22 (133-147-34) and reached the Western Conference Second Round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2020. The 53-year-old was fired Dec. 6, 2021, after 25 games (8-15-2).

The Devils (30-27-4), who reached the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs last season, are eight points out of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

"This is not the way I envisioned being a head coach again in the NHL," Green said. "It's my job now to help this team move forward and help them progress."

Hughes said he and his teammates feel responsible for Ruff’s dismissal. In seven games since winning 6-3 against the Philadelphia Flyers in the 2024 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series on Feb. 17, New Jersey is 2-5-0 and averaging 2.71 goals for and 4.14 goals against.

"When your coach gets fired, it comes down to the players and the guys inside the inside the locker room, so it just shows we haven't done our job up to this point," he said. "A lot of it comes down to the players and our effort and how we come out and sometimes we just get outbattled or outplayed, so there's nothing a coach can do standing behind the bench.”

Injuries also have played a part in New Jersey’s struggles. Defenseman Dougie Hamilton will miss his 42nd consecutive game Tuesday with a torn pectoral muscle he sustained Nov. 28, and general manager Tom Fitzgerald isn't sure of his return this season. Prior to his injury, the Devils ranked first in the NHL with a 36.8 percent power-play efficiency (25-for-68) in 20 games (10-9-1). Without him, they are last at 14.3 percent (17-for-119) in 41 games (20-18-3).

Goalie Vitek Vanecek (11 games missed, lower body/illness) and forward Nathan Bastian (five games; lower body) are out. Defenseman Brendan Smith missed 10 games with a sprained knee, and defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler missed 16 (foot) before each returned.

Hughes (11 games missed, upper body), Timo Meier (six, mid-body), Hischier (11, upper body) and Tomas Nosek (31, broken foot) each missed significant time before returning.

But Devils forward Jesper Bratt said the players need to exhibit more energy and desperation.

"The passion for the game hasn't really been there for our team lately, the energy hasn't really been there," Bratt said. "We haven't really had pushback against other teams that we have needed to. I think that's kind of where the key has been for our team so far ... we haven't really shown that passion to be desperate enough to give ourselves a chance to win."

Meier said he is just hoping the Devils can find the winning formula to have a shot at a playoff berth.

"[Green] is very detail-oriented," Meier said. "He wants to play fast, and I think for having him here as associate coach, we got to know him. He's obviously going to try to bring the best out of everybody and that's on us, individually, to really step up. It takes everybody to take another step and really put it on the ice.

"There's been a lot of talking, but we’ve got to act and act quick."

Green was hired by New Jersey on June 22, 2023, to help coach the forwards and run the power play after Andrew Brunette was hired as coach of the Nashville Predators on May 31. Green said assistant coach Chris Taylor, who has been working with him all season on the power play, will earn more power-play responsibility in the final 21 games of the regular season.

But the new coach’s main objective is to clean things up in the Devils’ end of the ice.

"We have changed some things with our zone coverage and continue to work on it," Green said. "Obviously at this time of year, defending is a big part of winning and little details in the defensive zone coverage can cost you major goals. Young players have to understand that part of the ice is important."