Leading into the Oct. 1 season openers, Sporting News will preview one NHL team per day, counting backward from our preseason No. 30 ranked team to No. 1.

If Devils general manager Lou Lamoriello has proven anything during his 22-year Hall-of-Fame career, it's that no matter what happens on the ice or behind closed doors, you can never underestimate New Jersey's ability to win hockey games.

Would anyone have predicted that the Devils would win the Atlantic Division with 106 points last season, even though goaltender Martin Brodeur was sidelined for three months?

Or that, after such a masterful job behind the bench, coach Brent Sutter would pack his bags and fly back to Calgary, only to be replaced by former Devils boss Jacques Lemaire?

On paper, it's hard to imagine Lemaire getting more out of his team than Sutter got last season. Not when you consider the Devils lost goal scorer Brian Gionta, checkingline center John Madden, banger Mike Rupp and reliable backup G Scott Clemmensen.