I am extremely excited to share my first edition of Kristy’s Devils Mailbag. I reached out to New Jersey Devils fans on Twitter asking questions and you did not disappoint. Today, I’ll be discussing head coach Lindy Ruff, the goaltending tandem, and my advice for someone hoping to break into sports media.
Q: How tall is Lindy Ruff this season? At what point would management step in to make a change?
– @LetsGoDevils182
At no point has Devils general manager (GM) Tom Fitzgerald expressed a lack of confidence in head coach Lindy Ruff. In fact, during his recent media availability, Fitzgerald mentioned that he believes part of the reason Andrew Brunette chose New Jersey was because of what he can learn from Ruff, who won the Jack Adams Award in 2006.
That said, season after season, we’ve seen the coaching carousel because, as we all know, it’s easier to replace a coach than a team. However, the Devils will have to perform very poorly for Ruff to lose his job. I understand that many fans feel that the Devils need a new voice behind the bench, but Fitzgerald and the new center of the organization seem to be happy with their coach.
The good thing is that they are now in a favorable situation. If Fitzgerald feels the need to make a change behind the bench, Brunette has proven more than capable of stepping up after being named a Jack Adams finalist last season. In my opinion, if Ruff is to be replaced, it will have to be early enough in the season for the Devils to still realistically contend for a playoff spot.
Q: How do you feel about the Blackwood/Vanecek Tandem this season?
-@BarralBen
Fitzgerald has tried and failed, through no fault of his own, to find a suitable partner for Mackenzie Blackwood. For two seasons, he signed an experienced and reliable goaltender to share the net with the Ontario native, and it has been incredibly unsuccessful. A lineup of Blackwood and 26-year-old Vitek Vanecek is intriguing as the team moves forward with a 1A/1B setup.
Blackwood will look to redeem himself after finishing last season with a goals-against average (GAA) of 3.39 and a save percentage (SV%) of .892. His heel injury kept him off the ice for most of the season, but looking forward, he’s poised to be the team’s primary netminder.
“Next year, I have to take it a little bit personally that I want to be the guy he leans on,” he said during his exit interview. “It’s a lot of internal pressure. I want to be that guy. I want to be the rock. I want to be the guy who plays all the games.”
As for Vanecek, he has been consistent the last two seasons with a GAA of 2.69 and 2.67, and a SV% of .908. If he can bring that consistency to New Jersey, I think the team will be in good shape. There will be plenty of competition for the title, which should bring out the best in both goalkeepers. Overall, I’m excited to see how this plays out.
Q: What do you think about the future of Severson & Graves at the deadline?
– @NicoHughesNJ
I think Damon Severson has become the most intriguing player on the Devils roster. Fans love to give him a hard time, but the fact is he is coming off the best season of his career and has led all skaters in ice time since the 2018-19 campaign. He’s a right-handed reliever, which makes him a valuable trade chip, and, in this league, a team has to give up something in order to get something in return. If the right offer is made, Fitzgerald could very well move Severson. However, I wouldn’t be surprised if he is offered an extension as he is a leader in the locker room.
What fans may not realize is that Ryan Graves was on New Jersey’s radar for about two years before the trade happened. Blue just finished his first season with the Devils and led all skaters with 135 blocked shots and had a season best offensively with 28 points. Fitzgerald has spent time and focus building his blue line with size and mobility. Knowing that, I don’t see the Yarmouth native being on the move anytime soon.
Q: Could we see a trade involving JT Miller coming to New Jersey and Damon Severson going to Vancouver?
– @MilazzoRandall
I’ll start by saying never say never when it comes to the NHL. I’ll be the first to admit that I wasn’t on board when the rumors of New Jersey being on JT Miller broke, but I’ve since come around to the idea after taking a deep dive into his season. As I mentioned, Severson could be a valuable trade chip in acquiring a piece the team needs.
Related: Canucks still have trade partners for JT Miller
In a recent article by Harman Dayal, Miller’s agent Brian Bartlett emphasized that there is a path to an extension with the Canucks and he and his family absolutely love Vancouver (from ‘JT Miller’s agent discusses Canucks future:’ There is a realistic path to a stretch,’ Athletics, 20.07.22). With time, it appears that Vancouver will be able to lock down their star forward, but New Jersey has a lot to offer between a coveted right back and endless prospects. That said, if the Canucks decide to move Miller, I think it will happen closer to the trade deadline.
Q: Do you think we’re in for another top-six forward or are we done for the offseason?
– @GrindMyGeerts
It’s clear that Fitzgerald has made calculated decisions and isn’t going to make a move just for the sake of it. If the right player comes along, he will work the phone, but I don’t think there is any desperation to do so. Over the next few days, the team has scheduled an arbitration hearing, which will be their main focus.
There are still some notable free agents available, and New Jersey has plenty to offer if a trade comes up before training camp. I think there will be another trade before the players go back to New Jersey, but I don’t know if it will necessarily be for a top-six winger. For Fitzgerald, it has to be the right player and the right opportunity will have to present itself.
Q: How did you come up with the name Skating in Stilettos?
– @hugh_lmd
Believe it or not, I didn’t think of the name! I always knew I wanted to start a blog or a passion project (as I called it) and I had a lot of trouble coming up with a name. One day, I was watching the warm-up at the Prudential Center and a security guard struck up a conversation with me. During the season we developed a good friendship and he noticed that I always wore stilettos to the rink. He knew I was looking for a name for my blog and said, “Spatin in stilettos.” I was instantly hooked and the rest is history.
Q: What is your biggest piece of advice for someone trying to do what you do?
– @radius9124
I took an extremely unconventional path to get to where I am today, so take my advice with a grain of salt. The best advice I can give anyone is to get comfortable with being uncomfortable. In my experience, you don’t learn within your comfort zone, and for this job, it’s extremely important to keep evolving and growing.
Thanks so much for all your questions and keep them coming I tweet and Instagram. If you submitted one that I haven’t answered, it will be part of my next mailbag. The next edition of Kristy’s Devils Mailbag will be released on September 1st.
Kristy has been contributing to The Hockey Writers since March 2021. She is excited to be putting her journalism degree to use and is a credentialed correspondent covering the New Jersey Devils. Kristy is also a member of the Professional Hockey Writers Association. You can follow her journey on Twitter @InStilettos_NHL and Instagram SkatingInStilettos.
