Getting Starting: WOTD Foundations

Welcome to the very first rendition of what I hope to be a very long-running and successful New Jersey Devils fan blog.

This blog is the result of an insatiable Devil’s fan, looking to add a different voice to the many that cover the team in different capacities.  Through the years, I have been an avid reader and follower of NJ Devils blogs, beat writers, commentators, and any other well-known publication covering NJ’s pro hockey team.  So why add another voice to an impressive and already-crowded group? Well, here’s what motivated me to get started…

The professionals covering the team today, and the marketing group for the NJD, are in my opinion the best representatives the fans have had in the team’s history.  In fact, because of the impressive professionals currently covering the NJD, coupled with the technological ease of starting something like this, I became inspired to add my voice to the conversation.  More importantly, I felt like there wasn’t a great fan-sided blog that captured the masses, and reigned supreme. I’ve followed the existing fan blogs, and talked to other Devils fans about them. There doesn’t seem to be a real consensus around which blog embodies our fandom, and to put it bluntly, I always found myself underwhelmed by the existing blogs. So I’m tossing my hat in the ring, and I guess coming out of the corner swinging based on that last point. 

Make no mistake, I’m a team-first, all for one and one for all kind of guy, so I respect what’s already out there. But I wanted to chase down a passion. 

Once upon a time I did briefly dream of being a journalist, and I have paramount respect for those occupying the profession.  They are superb professionals, and my amateur attempt at this fan blog will only pale in comparison to their skill.  Instead, this is meant to be the voice of a fan, one who is passionate about the team, the sport, and the pursuit of a hobby.

As such, let’s talk about what this blog is, and more importantly what it isn’t.

Founding Principles:

1. I am not an advanced stats guy.  I understand the importance of analytics in the game today, and I am not looking to discredit myself by brandishing lazy ignorance, however, I won’t be able to include statistics accurately until I’m able to dedicate enough time to get a handle on comprehending them.  Chalk it up to the first item I’ll be looking to delegate or learn more about as this thing gets going.  Which leads me to my next principle…

2. My perspective and analysis will be mostly based on my own experience playing and watching the game.  Make no mistake, I am not a former pro hockey player.  Not even close.  Just a former ACHA DI club & NJ high school hockey guy who has way more passion for the game than skill.

3. We’re all about good vibes here.  Part of the reason this brainchild was born into reality is because of what I came to notice was a void in the existing Devils’ fan blogs, as mentioned above.  Without trying to ruffle feathers as the new kid on the block – I’ve noticed some negative undertones in a handful of the more popular fan blogs out there.  Maybe that’s just an uninformed amateur being blissfully unaware of what it’s like to cover a team that has been (a lot) more bad than good for the past decade, but nonetheless, it’s a founding principle.  Expect a positive spin and optimistic insight.  But…

4. We’ll remain grounded, realistic, and balanced.  In today’s day and age, it seems like there is never any room for nuance.  Things are either black or white.  Good or bad.  Unfettered success or inevitable ruin.  In reality, everything is always nuanced.  There are always two sides and multiple interpretations to any argument, and always potential outcomes that weren’t considered at the outset.  Chalk it up to my day job of financial planning, there is never a singular potential outcome.  

In sports, and in particular the NHL, that seems abundantly true.  Just look at the playoff success of past President Trophy winners – since 1990, only 6 teams that were the undisputed regular season champs went on to capture the Stanley Cup (how bout them stats). What I mean is – the team expected to go all the way in those other 25 seasons, didn’t. The experts were wrong.

What I’m trying to say here is this: don’t expect extremely bold predictions.  I’ll do my best to maintain a nuanced stance in examining the present and future Devils.

So there we have it. A foundation. So what about me, who the hell am I to be writing about the storied franchise and New Jersey’s only current pro sports team? No seriously, who am I?

I’ve dropped some hints about who I am above. But let me provide a bit more background. I’m northeast born, Connecticut to be exact. Moved to Morris county, NJ at age 4. Middle child of three boys. Son of a lifelong hockey man. We’re a hockey family. And my dad moved us to NJ from CT, the latter of which likely would’ve offered a better backdrop for a hockey family upbringing, yet unknowingly settled us into the town that would have far and away the most successful public hockey program in the state for the two decades in which the three of us kids were growing up. Randolph. And I’m not exaggerating or being biased, just check out the titles won and relevance of Randolph high school from the years 2003-present. Those years correspond to ages 11-28 for me.

Those years immediately preceding when hockey became most important in my life also correlate to when the New Jersey Devils were most successful. As a kid the Devils were the class of the NHL, and they continued their impressive relevance and playoff appearances all the way through my first couple of years in college. The franchise and its success had an enormous impact on my love for the game and set expectations for my sports teams to be successful. For what it’s worth, I’m a Giants and Yankees fan as well, so I’ve been spoiled.

I have loved hockey more than most other things in life, despite not taking it as seriously as I should have until age 14 or so. As a result I felt like I was constantly playing catch-up to be good enough. That scrappiness gave me enough of a runway to enjoy a couple of state titles and finals appearances at Randolph, and afforded me an opportunity to play in college, at Drexel University. 

After Drexel, I stayed in Philadelphia, and reside here today. In the city of one of the Devil’s most hated rivals, I’ll be stoking the embers of this pro-Devils blog. 

So thanks for joining me on this ride. Let’s get it started and let’s go Devils.