Archive for July, 2009

We are approaching the beginning of August and I can’t help but wonder, are the Devils through with off-season moves? The big names out there are all gone, however, there are still solid contributors available that I would love to have be apart of Jersey’s Team. Former Devil, Petr Sykora, really sticks out in my mind as a potential addition. He knows the team, has a good relationship with Patrick Elias who he has worked very well with in the past.

As long as I have loved sports, I have had a unique interest in team uniforms and logos. Why? I have no idea. Perhaps it is a cognitive issue in which I like certain colors or patterns. I have no idea why. But, in my opinion there is something great about a nice uniform, the color combinations, the crest on the front of the jersey’s that represent who you are going to battle for. In medieval times, barbarians were still just barbarians, yet they still grasped the concept of being a “team” and having an insignia that bound them together [...]

As the 2009 season approaches, top free agents are all signed and training camps begin, the Atlantic Division has had plenty of changes amongst the teams within it. Whether it has been by addition or subtraction, every team has seen changes to it. Most of them have improved themselves in areas that needed it. While in other areas, where they have had the same players for years and are now gone, will leave a lot of questions as to how each team will fare in the new season. Let’s take a look at each team’s additions, as well as their [...]

Today the Devils were able to re-sign young gun Travis Zajac to a four  year deal before the Friday deadline, which would have sent the formerly restricted free agent, to an arbitration hearing in Toronto. Can you hear all of the collective sighs of relief being let out right now? Arbitration hearings are much worse than they seem and it usually ends with the said player remaining on the said team, unless the said team has no desire to keep him. However, making sure nothing got out of hand before the hearing took place is just what I think the [...]

It took me a little longer than I anticipated, but I’m here now to discuss the 2009-10 New Jersey Devils schedule. We actually open up at home for the second straight year, which is nice. That seems like it almost never happens. But, as usual, we are not one of the first games of the season, so as the season starts up, we will have to wait a bit to see our Devils. The new look Devils will start the 2009-10 season on October 3rd at 7:00 PM EST against Atlantic Division rival, the Philadelphia Flyers. New Jersey is 3-1-1 [...]

The reports coming out of the Devils Development Camp are encouraging. Yesterday there was a scrap between youngsters Matt Corrente and Ashton Bernard that ensued. On Wednesday, a second fight broke out between D-man Harry Young and RW Nathan Perkovich. Now, if you are reading this and have no idea who these names are, don’t feel like you are a bad Devil’s fan. It takes the most die-hard of fans to be up on these names. However, it isn’t a bad idea to try and know them now, seeing as how the Devils have chosen to let players go and [...]

It took a month and 3 days for the Devils to have their next head coach, but it isn’t anything new for the club. They welcomed back former coach Jaques (pronounced Jock) Lemaire to the fold in hopes that Lemaire will have the similar success that he had when he led the Devils to the pinnacle of the hockey world in 1995 with a Stanley Cup championship. Lemaire had a record of 199-122-46 in five seasons as the head coach of the Devils. He was famous for implementing the neutral zone trap which gave teams fits in trying to produce [...]

Okay, my previous posts may have been preemptive. I have taken some time and while on any kind of down time I have thought about what has transpired in New Jersey and where we are at now. I still must admit, I wish we could have offered something to Brian Gionta, a one year contract maybe. I would understand if he wanted something more and the Devil’s just did not want to make a commitment to him money wise. That would have made me feel like the effort was there. If he turned it down, well then, so be it. [...]