Looks like this site will start having a more positive outlook on Kovalchuk with the addition of a new pro-Kovalchuk writer!!The Canucks are 2 wins away from hoisting the Stanley Cup and everyone is wondering if it will take them more than 2 games to get the remaining 2 wins. Once the cup gets lifted and parade takes place and the awards are handed out, maybe then there will be some Devils news for us to talk about. That’s right, I said “us.”
I’ve been looking for another writer to join this site for quite some time and I finally found her. She has quite a bit of Devils and hockey knowledge in her head and I am sure she’ll bring a lot of good things to the table. So please help me in welcoming Debra to Running With The Devils. I asked her a few important Devils questions so that we can all get to know where she stands on the important issues!! (We all know where I stand with the answer to question #2 but I didn’t hold it against her!!)
1. How long have you been a Devils fan?
– I’ve been a Devils fan since 1994.
2. Who is your current favorite Devil?
– My current favorite Devil is Kovy.
3. Who is your favorite Devil of all time.
– I could have easily answered this question prior to the trade deadline. Jason Arnott has always been my all-time favorite Devil. (well, at least since the culmination of the A line). I was so thrilled last summer when I heard he was going to be a Devil once more but the fact that he wanted to be traded to a playoff contending team rather than stick out the remainder of the season with the Devils broke my heart and, obviously, didn’t sit well with me. Other than Jason, i really don’t have one that just stands out. There have been so many quality and talented Devils that all rank about the same with me. It’s too soon to say so now, but I’m fairly certain that by the end of this season Kovy will rightfully take that honor.
4. What is/are your favorite Devils moment(s)?
– The Stanley Cup winning goal in double OT in 2000 (by none other than my ex-favorite devil himself) takes the cake just by virtue of the excitement with which it was won. The Cup win (and subsequent party where I touched the Cup!) in 1995, the Cup win in 2003, that short, euphoric day last summer when it was revealed that Kovy chose to be a Devil before all the NHL bs started about it, and Marty becoming the winningest goaltender of all time.
5. We’ve been through a lot of coaches, so who was your favorite coach?
– Obviously, any coach that coached us to the cup would be my favorite but, no offense to Larry Robinson or Pat Burns (may he rip), after witnessing what Jacques Lemaire was able to do when he stepped in to coach the second half of this season, i’d have to say it’s him. No, they didn’t make the playoffs, but they accomplished so many other important things. They salvaged the season for the fans, they actually seemed like they could make the playoffs for a while there (they had me believing), and they once again drove fear into the minds of their opponents. What all of that means is that Lemaire was able to restore a sense of pride and dignity to the Devils. He gave them back their confidence…mojo…whatever you want to call it. They were a broken team when Lemaire came in… broken as a unit and broken individually and lemaire was able to lift them up from the depths of despair, and he gave the entire Devils community (players & fans) hope. In my opinion, Lemaire pretty much proved that the main problem with the team in the first half of the season was John Maclean. Lemaire was able to come in, take the reins and get respect from both the vets and rooks alike. It’s also no secret that Kovy considers Lemaire the best coach he’s ever had. Lemaire knew all the right buttons to push to save the Devils. I believe that, had Lemaire not stepped in and done what he did, it would have taken years for the Devils to rebound from the atrosity that was the first half of the season. It’s critical that the next coach be able to sustain what lemaire accomplished, but that’s a discussion i’m sure we’ll be having for many more days to come.
See, she’s got some good stuff. I can’t wait to see what she writes in the future but for now, back to a hockey season where the Devils news and talk has been very quiet.
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