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Travis Zajac is one of the keys for the Devils this season.

(Photo by Tony Kurdzuk/The Star-Ledger)

Prognosticators did not give the Devils much respect heading into this lockout-shortened season.



Their trip to the Stanley Cup Finals last year, you'd be led to believe, was either a fluke or Zach Parise took all the magic with him when he left for Minnesota.



But perhaps this Devils team was shortchanged by the experts. While it is far too early to tell, there are some who believe it may be better than last season's squad, and that's saying a lot.



The Devils have a chance to open a season with a 3-0 record for the first time since 2002-03 and for only the second time in 16 seasons if they can emerge with a victory over Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals tomorrow night at the Prudential Center.

“I don’t see a reason why we couldn’t get to the level of last season,” goalie Martin Brodeur said. “We have most of the same guys and a similar system. We’ve made a minor tweak here or there. I think everybody is on the same page.

“We’ve played two teams—one young team and one that is tough to play—and we were able to handle them pretty good. It’s early to tell because we didn’t face everybody yet but I think we feel comfortable playing against anybody.”

Here are five good reasons why these Devils might be better than the 2011-12 version:

1. A second season under Pete DeBoer: The players are familiar with his system and they believe what he says.

“I think experiencing the success we did last year put some confidence in everyone,” captain Bryce Salvador said. “If we play the game plan we can have success with it. Whatever that success is, we’ll see. The most important (lesson) from last year was when we all stuck to the system we got rewarded.

“It doesn’t matter what system you play. It could be the best system or the worst system. When everyone buys in and you have success with it, it becomes the best system.”

As in the lockout-shortened 1995 season.

“Think about it,” Brodeur pointed out. “In 1993-94 we had a season to learn the system under Jacques Lemaire. The next year we were used to it and we were able to do what we did. This is a similar situation. We just learned a system and now most of the guys are used to it. It’s good, I think, especially in a short season.”

2. Travis Zajac: Sure, Parise is gone. But Zajac (two goals in two games) is healthy and signed to a new long-term contract extension.

“He’s been great,” DeBoer said. “We missed him last year when he was out for the entire season. He’s a motivated guy. Contracts don’t motivate Travis. He loves to play. He really missed the game, I think, last year.”

There is a reason he’s the first-line center.

"He's a really good player. Lou (Lamoriello) is a hockey guy. You don't reward a guy here on a gamble," Brodeur suggested. "The best players on your team, the smartest players to a certain extent, are the guys who play center. So when you are missing a guy like that with a big body, knows how to do things well and wins faceoffs, it's a big advantage to have him back.



"Last year we played without him for a long time. When he came back, it's funny how we were so steady. Wingers do have responsibilities, but the centerman is the guy who really carries the load offensively and defensively. If he doesn't win that draw to start the play, we're playing defense."

3. A deep, experienced corps of defensemen: They look better on the ice than on paper. One key is that Marek Zidlicky, acquired late last season, is here all year.

“Every team has great ‘D’ men,” Salvador said. “If you’re in the NHL, you can play the game. What we see on our team is the chemistry we have with each other. Half the battle is being comfortable with your role.”

4. A taste often wets the appetite: Coming two wins away from the Cup is a motivating factor for this team.

“We haven’t even played our best hockey. We’ve found ways to win early on,” Zajac said. “It helps that this group of guys was together last year. Also, we didn’t end the season the way we wanted, but it was a successful season. It gave us a taste of the Finals. You realize how exciting it is and you want to get there again.”

5. The restless GM: Lamoriello often makes a key trade at the deadline and this year will be no different. But that's April 3. Right now the Devils are looking for a start that will disprove the non-believers.



"I felt I knew what we had," DeBoer said of this squad. "There were some intangibles there that I didn't have a handle on: How good condition we were going to be in? How quickly could we get up to game speed?



"With the number of returning players and the buy-in to the system I knew was going to be there. To these guys' credit, they came back in fantastic shape and really have answered all those questions. We have gotten ourselves, I think, on track as quickly or quicker than a lot of teams. That's why we've been successful early."

Rich Chere: rchere@starledger.com; twitter.com/Ledger_NJDevils