NEWARK — NHL teams are 3-8-1 this season in their first game coming out of the newly mandated five-day bye week.
The record fell after the Devils lost, 4-1, to the San Jose Sharks on Sunday, followed by the 5-0 loss by the Calgary Flames to the Phoenix Coyotes on Monday. Only the Pittsburgh Penguins, Arizona Coyotes and the Toronto Maple Leafs have won their first game after the bye week.
Teams are struggling to quickly get back in the flow of the regular season after four or five days with zero hockey activity, and it’s not that shocking.
“It’s not surprising to me at all,” Devils forward Taylor Hall said. “It’s a completely different game, especially when you’ve playing at 12:30 the following day. I’m not sure how that scheduling works, ideally you’d like to play at a later time.
“But it’s tough. You want to get right back in the thick of things, but teams that are hockey-ready, teams that are playing a ton of games when you’re on vacation on the beach, it’s tough. Over the course of time, it helps out, being able to rest and heal injuries. But certainly a first tough game back.”
The Devils were on the other end of a team coming off the bye week when they visited the Flyers on Jan. 21, with the Devils cruising to a 4-1 win in Philadelphia in the first game back for the Flyers.
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The Rangers fell victim to the post-bye week clunker with a 4-2 loss to the Maple Leafs on Jan. 13.
One of the biggest challenges, according to Hall and Devils coach John Hynes, is the unbalanced playing field for teams coming out of the bye. They’re being matched up against teams in the midst of busy weeks, and it’s tough to jump right back in against a team rolling through its usual routine.
“It’s a challenge that all of us in the league have to face. That’s the way the schedule is,” Hynes said. “We didn’t master that task, but you’re in a situation where you go from full tilt on the treadmill — practice, games, competition, meetings, workouts — to nothing. To being on vacation, and even the players, as much as they try to eat well, try to keep themselves going, it’s different, and sometimes you’re coming into a team that’s in that mode of practice, games.
Hynes said he and the Devils coaching staff need to a better job preparing the team if they face that situation again.
With the 2016-17 season being the first for the NHL bye week, Hynes expects the league to listen to all sides when they evaluate it during the offseason.
“I’m sure they’re going to listen to all opinions, whether it’s the league officials,” Hynes said.”Probably coaches’ feedback, players’ feedback. It’s something they always do. It was something that was implemented this year. We all have to go through it, but I think they do a good on getting feedback in certain situations, and I’m sure they’ll evaluate it and try to do what’s best or makes the most sense.”
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Chris Ryan may be reached at cryan@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @ChrisRyan_NJ. Find NJ.com Devils on Facebook.
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