New Jersey Devils: The Next Bunch of Jerks?

There has been a lot said about the P.K. Subban arrival press conference the New Jersey Devils held for him. It was nothing short of a spectacle with a drum band, glitz, glamour, and a Ric Flair robe, but the one thing that can be taken from this, the Devils are going for a new identity and their roster has the makings of being a league sensation.

Last year, the Carolina Hurricanes became somewhat of a cult following after Don Cherry called their post-game celebration a joke and them a “bunch of jerks”. These were some strong words coming from a man that dresses like a blind man on an drug-induced trip. What that one comment created was a pop culture following and it brought the team closer together.

This season, the New Jersey Devils can be that next following. That press conference for P.K. Subban this past week was like a mini Wrestlemania inside the Prudential Center. This seems to be the direction Ray Shero wants to take this club.

For years, the Devils were held back in media coverage for the mere fact that Lou Lamoriello wanted to run a tight ship. This is a welcoming and new feature that this organization’s fan base can truly get behind.

Now, don’t get me wrong, Lou did a great deal for us and we owe a lot to him, but it is nice to see the new vision that Shero has for the Devils. When trading for Subban I think part of what Shero was interested in, to start, was his personality, which is a great one. Subban is extremely well-spoken and the camera loves him, so he brings a lot more than just a great hockey game to the team.

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In 2019, if things go well, this team can really band together and get behind their young roster, creating a sense of excitement and exuberance to them. For instance, if Jack Hughes has a good year, you know you are going to see him flashing that smile after every goal celebration. That youthful energy is contagious. The entire team can feed off of that and it won’t only affect his teammates, it will reach all the way out to the fans as well. Then, you have a veteran guy like Subban praising him and joining in on the celebrations and it only adds to the good feels.

This kind of thing will create a brotherhood on this roster. It could be a bond that may get Taylor Hall to stick around, who knows? If we see Hall having a good time, then you know things are going well. Keeping it with the vibrant youth theme, imagine breakouts year from Jesper Bratt, Nico Hischier and promising rookie campaigns from both Jesper Boqvist and Ty Smith. That kind of season is a rarity and it can truly create a once in a lifetime experience.

So keep the exaggerated celebrations coming. We should welcome making a spectacle out of everything, because this organization deserves all of it. Let’s make each goal at The Rock a spectacle with fireworks and loud noises. Who cares? This is a young team, and the Devils should be giving them the world. What better way to get a young team to play better than to reinforce their success with over the top celebrations? We would all welcome that from the conservative days of the Lou regime.

But none of this will be possible without winning, obviously. So get out there and win Devils, we wanna get obnoxious.

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