’13 was ultimately worse than ’10-’11, both in my opinion and statistically

We certainly have endured the best and worst of things as fans of the New Jersey Devils over the last three seasons. Twice, no playoffs; once, a game away from Cup no. 4. But there’s something about this season — the one coming to a halt in a few days — that has me thinking: This one was worse than 2010-2011.

That year, the Devils had 81 points. Over and 82-game season, the Devils are on pace for the equivalent of 75 points. Quite frankly, I can't remember the last time the Devils had so few points — and if I had to guess, I’d say it probably hasn't been this bad since the 1988-1989 season, one of the few years the team didn’t make the post-season (and a year after a magical run to the Wales Conference Finals).

I’m not ready to break down what went wrong here. Perhaps because it’s bloody obvious what was so wrong from late-February to the very end of the season.

Perhaps I’ll get to that in the coming days.

But for now, it’s simple — this is the worst season the Devils have had since 1989. The worst in 24 years.

Maybe it would been better if the lockout had never been settled.

Maybe it’s all about the draft to take place in Newark this summer.

Whatever it is — it sucks — and now we can only help the Winnipeg Jets do us all a favour by getting the eighth seed in the playoffs.

That, my friends, would soften the blow of an otherwise abysmal year.