As some of you may know, I have a podcast on Anchor.fm, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other platforms, mostly New Jersey Devils centric, but also all things hockey related. Having on former New Jersey Devils enforcer and retired Blues player Cam Janssen was a huge honour.
One of the things Cam pointed out in his career is that he is so grateful for being drafted by Lou Lamoriello and the New Jersey Devils. He even joked about playing a bit like Tie Domi in an interview with Lou and his staff and he said, “We don’t like Tie Domi.” Cam also pointed out when he was in training camp in 2002-2003 at the South Mountain Arena, he said, “Lou had things down military style” where everyone had to report on time and be showtime ready.
Cam pointed out in the locker room seeing guys like Ken Daneyko, Scott Stevens and Krzysztof Oliwa around were very intimidating for a young rookie who was coming from the Windsor Spitfires. Janssen said there was a “huge level of confidence through the roof” that whole season that led the Devils onto winning Lord Stanley’s Cup for a third time.
One of the things I’m so glad that Mr. Janssen pointed out on the podcast is that “hitting and being physical is still allowed in today’s game.” One of those things going into my recent article about the Kitchener Rangers article that peaked my interest was a kid in Reid Valade. He plays very a physical and aggressive game, still being able to score 21 assists for 39 points in 52 games played. He added 126 shots on goal, 57 penalty minutes and a +13 rating.
One big lesson that Cam Janssen took from the St. Louis footprint is that the New Jersey Devils front office must add a blend of big, good physically skilled players and blend them in with skilled, highly talented players on both offence and defence. The next variable would be to draft a kid like Askarov, drop Schneider, sign a Robin Lehner/Jaroslav Halak that will help Blackwood improve the goaltending situation.
Cam pointed out that the Blues basically went out like hit men, bruising opponents along the boards and the neutral zone playing like the Devils of years past. The New Jersey Devils are gonna need to make a few adjustments to aiding Mackenzie Blackwood, meanwhile, Askarov could be taken 6-17 depending on the circumstances of the new full-time GM and scouting staff.
For those who think Cam Janssen holds any grudges against former players, he doesn’t. Not even the old arch rival and super pest, Sean Avery. He has no ill will against him. However, Cam did say having Avery on his Cam & Strick Pod was actually awesome. Another person who Cam had fits with in Major Juniors and the NHL that he’s super cool friends with is Paul “Biz Nasty” Bissonnette of the Spittin’ Chiclets Podcast.
As a contributor, podcaster and a fan of hockey, it makes me proud to see how players like Cam, Paul and others put aside their pasts and teach certain forms of hockey strategy and talking about what it was like as a player to deal with GM’s.
Speaking of GM’s, Cam didn’t know Ray Shero when he was still with New Jersey and Albany then. He did say Ray Shero is a smart GM and he did say Martin Brodeur is very well rehearsed in both the hockey and business side coming from St. Louis and working in New Jersey. Cam also has learned a lot from GM Doug Armstrong and said he wouldn’t amend anything in St. Louis and said it would be crazy if Pietrangelo left St. Louis. Cam said, “No way Petro (Pietrangelo) is leaving St. Louis. They’ll build him a statue outside Enterprise Center if he stays.”