This is part of ourSpeaking of the Devils newsletter, which is sent to your inbox every Monday morning.

1. Welp, if the Devils’ season wasn’t over already, it’s almost certainly over after their latest stinker vs. the Islanders. New Jersey is now 11 points out of a playoff spot. Yikes.

2. Let’s keep updating this until they’re at zero: Money Puck now gives the Devils an 2.4% chance to make the playoffs. That’s fifth worst in the NHL. This time last week it was 8.9%.

3. It took me three clicks this time to clinch the No. 1 pick for the Devils on the TankAThon simulator. Gavin McKenna — who was charged with assault this week — is likely still the top prize, but don’t sleep on Swedish wing Ivar Stenberg…

4. Let me break the fourth wall for a second here: It’s absolutely insane that we’re talking about the top draft prospects at the Olympic break. What happened to this team?!

5. The words scouts use to describe Stenberg are certainly appealing: “Cerebral, tactician, dangler, playmaker.” I know certain Devils fans want size, but Stenberg is the real deal.

6. I pressed Sheldon Keefe on the failures of his system this week. He wasn’t happy with the question, but given the team’s dramatic dip in production this season, it had to be asked.

(Plus, have you seen how boring these games have been?!)

Here’s what he said:

“I don’t believe it’s a system issue, not for a second,” Keefe said with a scowl. “I’ve been coaching for 20 years. I think anyone who’s ever played with me or coached with me on my staff knows how I see the game and what I look for and what I like in our players and our team. Players got to step up here.”

7. That wasn’t even the money quote from Keefe’s presser. This was: “We’re not mentally tough enough, clearly. These are critical moments in our season…. You gotta find a way to make a play. Get yourself a lead. Get going. Well, okay, you don’t. But don’t wilt.”

Not a great look when the coach is questioning the entire group’s mental toughness in Game 56.

8. I asked Brenden Dillon — one of the team’s leaders — about Keefe’s comments at practice the next day. He agreed with him and used words like “immaturity” to describe New Jersey’s play at times this season.

Dillon was also asked about what the team’s demeanor is like during intermissions. He said they aren’t “F— you-ing” each other, but then interrupted himself and said “maybe they should be.”

9. Jack Hughes missed all three games leading up to the Olympics. I see both sides of the argument:

A) The optics are not good. You’re missing must-win games, seemingly to rest up before Milan? If he shows up looking sharp in Game 1, it would be a bad look.

B) That said, it was a day-to-day injury. As Keefe said this week, the timing is just really unfortunate.

10. Here’s your weekly reminder to check out our YouTube show “Speaking of the Devils.” We’re still going live during the Olympic break!

Question of the week (from Tim via e-mail): why are the Devils making trades?

Ah, yes, the Devils made a trade this week, acquiring Nick Bjugstad from the St. Louis Blues in exchange for a conditional fourth-round pick and AHL player Thomas Bordeleau. I understand the confusion with the deal — the Devils should not be buyers right now — but given his affordable contract has two years left, this is an OK move for next season. Fourth line center Luke Glendening ranks near the bottom of the team in nearly every analytical category this season, so they needed an upgrade.