A quick look at some things happening in the NHL ...

I haven’t done a hodge-podge in a while, so since it’s been a ho-hum week, I thought I’d give it a try now.

n  Earlier this week, Marty Brodeur announced that he believed Cory Schneider had endured himself as the no. 1 goalie for the New Jersey Devils. As hard as it is to envision this — or accept it — it’s true. Sadly, Marty has looked every bit his age this season. But that doesn’t mean he won’t turn it around. He’s done it numerous times before in his career.

n  There’s been a lot of talk that it’s time to fire Peter DeBoer. Fine. But I ask: Who’s the replacement? Are there really any NHL-type coaches out there and available? The only one who comes to mind is Peter Laviolette, but he’s of the same quiet mold as DeBoer. That would be the equivalent of replacing one apple with another.

n  Tonight’s game against Vancouver may be the lowest-attended game in two years. As of 4 p.m. today, there were thousands of seats still available — both in the lower and upper tiers.

n  Speaking of attendance, I still don’t get why the fans of the Buffalo Sabres are still going to games in droves. Their crowds have all been in the high 17,000s — and that team has done nothing to entertain them at all.

n  Still no word on whether the Devils and Rangers will wear special sweaters when they play each other at Yankee Stadium in January. I’m sticking with my hope that they were their original white, red and green jerseys with some modifications to give it a classic look.

n  I’m starting to believe, more and more, it’s going to take one NHLer killing another on the ice before something serious is done with these horrible hits and cheap shots.

n  While we’ve had little to be happy about as Devils fans, at least it’s happening concurrently to bad seasons for the Flyers and Rangers. Aside from Pittsburgh, the Metropolitan Division has thus far been brutal.

n  Back to attendance really quick. We were told when ownership issues were settled in Phoenix, things would get better, attendance-wise, for the Coyotes. Their last home game: barely 10,000 showed up. New owners. Same ole’ Coyotes.

n  And it’s also the same ole’ Islanders, too. Despite a nice season last year — and making the playoffs — they’re still drawing miserably. Three games were at 10,000 and one was just a tad over 13,000. I expected more this year from their fans.

n  Tell me you haven’t asked yourself this at one point: Will Adam Larsson ultimately be a no. 4 pick bust?

n  Can someone tell me how the Edmonton Oilers aren’t one of the best teams in the Western Conference? And yet, they’re not even ordinary. Would love to figure out what the hell is going on up there. Whatever it is, the fans have got to be at their wit’s end.

n  Someone told me the World Series is happening this week. You’d never know. Game 1 was an absolute snooze fest. The Red Sox, meanwhile, haven’t lost a World Series game since … Oct. 27, 1986 — the seventh and final game of the 1986 World Series.

That’s all for now. Let’s just hope things start to improve for our favourite hockey team. It couldn’t get much worse than this now — could it?