Effective today, John is no longer the editing manager of All About the Jersey. However, we will work to make sure this site goes strong into the future.
Happy June, everyone.
We are just a few months away from the start of another New Jersey Devils season, and I cannot think of a place I would rather share it with other fans than here. This is All About the Jersey, a haven for Devils fans and all who want to thoughtfully discuss hockey.
On Friday, John bid farewell to the site. I am sad to see him go. I have been reading his work here since the In Lou We Trust days, as many other members of the site have. Since I joined the site in 2017 as a volunteer game writer, John has helped me grow as a writer, giving me plenty of opportunities to connect with this awesome community. I know that many relied on John for his love for hockey, his attention to detail, and his commitment to this site. I then also realize that it is up to those who of us are still here to keep this place going strong. With that, I have three promises to share with all of you:
First Promise — All About the Jersey Will Not Falter in its Coverage
While this is a Devils-focused blog, John did not just write about the Devils. He also wrote extensive Division Snapshots alongside thorough write-ups on international tournaments and qualifications. I think it would be a shame for those posts to go away, so I will be picking up John’s international posts moving forward. Additionally, I will continue the Division Snapshots, though I am not currently sure if I will keep them weekly: I may shift those to twice-monthly, but that is an October decision. Ultimately, I do not want coverage to be disrupted.
For those of you wondering about the Top 25 Under 25, fear not: I would never end this annual tradition. In addition to our prospect profiles, the Top 25 Under 25 is one of my favorite offseason activities because it pushes all of us to be aware of the young players who may be a part of the future of the New Jersey Devils and the NHL. As soon as the Draft is over and it looks like the Devils are close to finished with filling out their roster (around halfway through July), we will compile the list of players and write up the post announcing the voting. As always, the final results will be released between August and September.
Second Promise — All About the Jersey Will Always Uphold its Standards
While All About the Jersey is a blog and not a full-fledged news source, we have always done our best to hold true to editorial standards. We do not blindly report or repost rumors. We do not have mysterious unnamed sources. We credit corroborated and reliable reports and dive deeper into some of the things journalists might not be as concerned with. We have a research standard, and writers will always be asked to follow it. This is not a rumor mill, and we do not believe in tabloid-style writing.
Additionally, this blog is written by real fans. In a time where a Google search will result in AI-infested information pushed in your face or outright AI-generated websites in the results, we believe in real writing for real people. Everyone here puts time and effort into their work, and the results are rewarding. The rise of clickbait-driven AI sports websites only deepens my resolve on preserving and continuing to build this blog.
Third Promise — All About the Jersey Will Continue to Be a Community
Just after I joined the blog in 2017, John posted his All About the Jersey Declaration of Principles in response to the eight statements jointly released by the NHL, NHLPA, and 15 other hockey organizations earlier that month. The second principle he wrote is one I would like to highlight at this moment:
2. I declare that this is a New Jersey Devils blog primarily for Devils fans. It does not matter where you are from, what you look like, who you like, when you started following the team, why you visited, or even how hardcore of a fan you are. If you’re a Devils fan, then this site is for you. To that end, everyone here should be respectful to each other. No pedestals, no ditches, the Devils fans are on the same plane here. Those who cannot play nice with others will not play at all.
A big part of this just means following the site’s rules, which are unchanged as of this moment. Will they ever change? To some extent, it is possible: but do not expect this site to become some sort of wild west. For now, the rules will be enforced as they are. My reason for that is I think those who have stuck around this community tend to appreciate that the level of conversation here is a fair bit higher than social media sites. As long as you back up what you say and remain respectful, you will be welcome here — and that goes for non-Devils fans, too.
If you follow the blog on Twitter (@AATJerseyBlog), that account will continue to post. I have also been thinking about starting a BlueSky account, and it is also now live as of last night. If you have accounts on either platform, feel free to follow there for updates. An unfortunate part of the Twitter sale and its associated changes awhile back is that our articles no longer automatically post to the account right when they are published, but I will be posting them manually. Remember that our posting times will remain the same. Sometimes things will go up a little early or a little late, but the framework of the site will stay the same. Aside from that, I will be doing my best to be at least somewhat active on social media during the games, and I will also share some short thoughts about the Devils on those accounts.
Well Wishes To Our Departing Writers
In addition to John’s farewell on Friday, Alex also announced his departure from the site yesterday. I will miss reading their articles, and it has been hard even for me to imagine seeing the site on a weekend without posts from them. Additionally, I have one more departure to announce, as Ian will not be back for game previews and recaps in the 2025-26 season. I felt like our games group was very solid this past year with Jackson, Ian, myself, and the games John filled in for (and also the previous season when we had Caleb), so I will be making an effort to keep that output strong in the next season.
For my eight years writing for the site, I have John to thank, most of all. His work ethic set the standard for the site. As an editing manager, John was incredibly informative, helpful, and patient. But 19 years is a long time, and I fully understood his need to step away. In Alex’s case, 11 years is also a pretty long time, and I would never want writing about the Devils to become stale for anyone here. I hope they do well in their other endeavors, and above all, I hope they take time to enjoy their life. But for John, Alex, Ian, and anyone else who has written here before, I am never going to consider the door completely closed on anyone. Everyone is welcome here, always.
A Promotion — Jackson is Now a Weekly Writer
While change can be difficult, a positive is that it creates opportunities for people. I still greatly miss Mike Stromberg’s articles, but his departure is what ultimately pushed me to write weekly articles on Mondays. With John and Alex departing, a couple of spots opened up for new writers. Since Jackson first posted in the 2023-24 preseason, he has marked himself as a thorough writer with a good eye, and I am excited to announce that he will be posting weekly articles moving forward. You may have already noticed his Vaclav Nestrasil prospect profile, and another one of his profiles will be out tomorrow. Throughout the next year, he will be making more posts with as much topical freedom as everyone else here, and I am looking forward to reading his articles. As he takes on a new responsibility, please read and support his work.
Moving Forward and Your Thoughts
I thank everyone here for their understanding of the changes taking place here. I reiterate my first promise here, as I do not want to pull the rug out from underneath the people who relied on this site for coverage of various hockey topics. As I mentioned change creating opportunities for people, we will also be seeking new writers in the near future. I recommend that, if you have thought about writing for this site or elsewhere, you think about whether you are interested in joining the site as a writer now. If you are, a Devils or hockey-related writing sample would be a good thing to have in your back pocket for when I make that “Writers Wanted” post.
In the meantime, our posts are scheduled as usual. Gerard, Nate, Jared, James, Jackson, and I will continue to work in our respective areas. Prospect profiles, free agency, and trade ideas and discussions will be posted as usual. On top of that, if you have any suggestions for the site, please share them in the comments below. For All About the Jersey, this is Chris: I hope all of you have a good day, and thanks for reading.