Greatest Devils Memories: When Lou’s people called my people (me), I was hooked for life

Lou celebrating going the 2012 Finals.

By Kevin Canessa Jr.

KEARNY, N.J. —

All these years later, these are two stories I love to talk about — and share. They’re both about Lou Lamoriello — and why as a teen, he had me hooked.

Flash back to 1992. It was the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs, and the Devils-Rangers were playing each other. The series sold out rather quickly — and if you think a lot of Rangers fans come to Devils home games now, you likely don’t remember back then … when more than half the building wore blue shirts.

I remember how annoyed I was by this. And as a 17-year-old high school student, I was fortunate to have a fax machine.

I wrote a letter to Lou — and told him how disappointed I was the games sold out because of the infiltration on Rangers’ fans. I invited him to call me to explain how or why this happens.

He didn’t call.

But Jelsa Belotta, the team’s receptionist for many years — not sure if she’s still there — called. And what she said has stuck with me for many years.

“Kevin, Mr. Lamoriello asked me to call you,” Belotta said. “Mr. Lamoriello would like to offer you the chance to by up to four tickets for Game 3 of the Rangers-Devils series. As much as he’d like to give you the tickets, he can’t just now — but if you’d like to go to the game, you could buy the hard-to-get tickets by calling me back.”

I was floored.

And needless to say, I had two tickets to the game — one the Devils won — a few hours later. I will never forget that.

But it got better.

The night after Game 3, Belotta called back — and I was able to get two more tickets for Game 4.

All from a letter from me to Lou, one he clearly read and took to heart.

About to be forever hooked

The following year, after the Devils were eliminated in 5 by the Pens, the Islanders went on to the Eastern Conference Finals. At this point, the Devils had been eliminated in the first round each of the last four years. And in 1993, it was made all the worse by the fact a team that had no business being in the ECF — the Islanders — were still playing when the Devils weren’t.

So I wrote, again, to Lou — and asked him why I should remain a Devils fan following four years of futility.

The season I knew I was an
NJ Devils fan for life -- 1992

A few days later, I got home from school — and I had a missed call (yea, I had Caller ID back then) from 201-935-6050 (the Devils) and a voicemail (yea, I had voicemail then, too) from the Devils.

“Kevin, this is Lou Lamoriello,” he said. “And I got your letter dated May 1st. Give me a call when you can so we can talk.”

And I did.

And for 30 minutes, the general manager of the Devils took my call — and chatted with me — like we were the best of friends.

“I need you to be patient,” he said. “We’ve got a great new coach coming in — and I think what you’ll see in goal is something you’ll like, too. And I assure you, it won’t be just a round we’ll be winning — it’ll be championships.”

A few months later, the Devils got to the Eastern Conference Finals — and were one goal away from the Finals. And one year away from Cup 1 of 3.

Here I was — at 18 — talking the legend, Lou. And he promised it would be better — quickly.

He let me vent. He let me talk about my soon-to-be-life in Newport, R.I., and he had me hooked forever.

I never would have abandoned my team — I loved it way too much back then, as I do now. But two phone calls — and 30 minutes on the phone, as a fan, with a man like Lou, had me hooked for life.

Because quite frankly, there has never been a better general manager in all of sports. No one has done more — with so little. And based on what he’s been able to do (as he has since 1987) — as few other GMs can do — there likely will never be one like Lou ever again.

In any sport.

And I couldn’t have been a luckier fan than I was in 1992 and 1993.

And still am, today, in 2014.

A few screencaps from today’s Rangers-Caps game

A look at the Devils’ final 8 games, and it ain’t pretty

Analysis By Kevin Canessa Jr.

With just eight games remaining — and with the team trailing the 8th-place Rangers by four points in the standings — we thought we’d take a look at the remaining games with a forecast (we rarely do this) to get a sense of just what the Devils will have to do to be a post-season team in 2013.

Tonight, v. Ottawa at home

It’s Ottawa, and no matter how good or bad they are, our franchise never seems to play well against them. But it’s been what seems like ages since the Devils have won. And they’re home. And lest we forget, seven of the last eight losses have been by one goal. So let’s say the Devils win for the first time since March 23 here. (1-0 in final 8).

April 15 at Toronto

Toronto is playing its best hockey in a decade. (1-1 in final 8).

April 18 at Flyers

There’s something magical about when the Devils play Philadelphia when they’re down and close to being out. This is a win to a team that may not have the same coach next time the two teams play. (2-1 in final 8).

April 20 v. Panthers

Oh yeah, it’s the Panthers, right? Wrong. But it’s different this time around. The Panthers are done, and the Devils are now desperate. (3-1 in final 8).

April 21 at Rangers

The last time these two met at Madison Square Garden was Game 5 of last year’s Eastern Conference Finals. Like the Devils, the Rangers are also in despair. No magic in this one at a frenzied MSG. (3-2 in final 8).

April 23 v. Montreal

Devils finally extract some revenge against their northern counterparts. (4-2 in final 8)

April 25 v. Penguins

You don’t beat the Penguins two days in a row earlier on and then expect the East’s (perhaps) best team to come in her and just fold eh? This could be one of the uglier games of the stretch. (4-3 in final 8).

And finally, April 27 at Rangers

Are you kidding me? Who made this schedule up? 

When I first saw this on the schedule, my first reaction was: Shit, the playoff seedings will long be decided by the time this one rolls around. Hah! Foolish thinking, eh?

On the final night of the year — or day, depending on whether NBC flexes out this game — it’ll be the two bitter rivals again. And depending on what happens with the New Yorkers, it could determine which team gets in — and which team gets to the links sooner than the other (by about two weeks). 

And based on how this Devils team has played much of the year, I see no reason why or how they win this game, though much stranger has happened this season. But gun to the head, Rangers win this one, too, and the Devils’ final 8 games see them go 4-4, for a total of 48 points. 

Considering TODAY, the Rangers have 44 and will get 4 points in games against the Devils, that would mean the Rangers would have had to lose every other remaining game for the Devils to get in. And even then (I don’t want to look it up right now), I am pretty sure the Rangers get the tie-breaker.

So even with a 4-4 stretch the end the season, the Devils are outside looking in. And giving this team four wins in this period is STILL a major stretch of the imagination given how they’ve played the last two months. 

Man do I hope I am wrong.

What say you? We’d love to hear what you think will happen in the final 8. Drop comments in the box — you don’t even have to sign in.

The Islanders are on our tails

Don't look now, but the New York Islanders, once a distant memory, are now just two points behind our New Jersey Devils in the standings.

I suppose one of the good things about a shortened season is that if a team peaks early, it's possible for teams that don't really have playoff-caliber talent to compete for a playoff spot. And quite frankly, I think it would be better for the Metro area IF the Islanders WERE to make the playoffs.

On the rare occasions when the Devils, Isles and Rangers do make the playoffs in the same year (doesn't happen much, and hasn't since 2007), it's clearly more exciting locally.

What do you think? Will the Islanders make the playoffs? Will the Devils? What about the Rangers? Discuss in the comment section below — you don't even have to register to do so.