Time to Get Pumped

Here at All About the Jersey, we have already written about this topic relatively frequently.

I wrote last year about some things to be proud of. I wrote this offseason about my optimism for the near future and then again about it to remind us of the possibility in a more recent post.

John spoke extensively about our need to stay competitive.

Alex wrote about the optimism he can find in this year's Devils.

Gerard wrote here about reasons he is excited.

Sufficed to say we are doing our best to get the fanbase as pumped up for our team in this season as we can. So now I make a naked appeal to the readers. Share those articles. Share this article. Tweet the articles. And if you don't want to, then tweet 140 characters of pure, unadulterated, ecstasy that this sport and your team have returned.

Get pumped and root for your team to win games. The hate has gone to far. I'm through with the pessimism. That ends tonight. Tonight this team is 0-0-0 and we have everything in the world to play for.  I don't want to hear that these games don't matter because we won't make the playoffs anyway. I don't want to hear that we should start shopping players to collect assets. And I especially don't want to hear that it is best for our team to tank so that we can get a lottery pick.

You know what's best for our team?

Adam Henrique developing into the bona fide first liner we all thought he could be. Perhaps even taking on a leadership role.

Jacob Josefson putting it all together, becoming the top 6 forward he is capable of becoming, and making the most of this make or break year.

Kyle Palmieri and Jiri Tlusty and John Moore, and Brian O'Neill thriving on our team and helping to establish this management era as one who will make moves to make this team routinely and consistently better.

Every one of the young defenders improving just enough to make this defense one of the most encouraging young blue lines in the league.

Cory Schneider continuing to be an all-world talent between the pipes, and being encouraged enough by what's in front of him to continue to give it all he's got to take the team on his back when we need him to the most.

That is what's best for this team. That is what's best for our future. Why bite off our nose to spite our face? Why root for failure before success has had a chance at breaking through? This is our team and we want to win now. Let's shock the hockey world.

It might not always be easy. It might not always be pretty. But this team's identity of being a quick team that forechecks until the foe is blue in the face will wear away at Winnipeg and then the Washington and then at home at the Rock. You know why? Because we are the Devils. And we are ...

... relentless.

Now let's go win us a freaking hockey game!