s15 - CHANGE IN DIRECTION (®)

East Rutherford, NJ - A hastily called press conference was held at the arena where New Jersey Devil management stepped to the podium to make a long overdue announcement. 

Devils GM Vincent Villa have sent the following letter to Devils fans about the state of the team (NJD):

As a member of the Devils Nation, we consider you a part of the New Jersey Devils family, and always want to ensure we share important news about the organization directly with you.

Today, we want to talk to you about the future. As you know, we have not made the post season since the 2000-01 season, while we were a competitive team in 2001-02 we missed the playoffs on a tie breaker.  Since returning to the league, this management has not fulfilled our mission in getting the Devils back into the post season.  Now we must face the stark reality that we need to rebuild the team so we can compete in the future for many years. 

So as we do every season, we have been continuously evaluating our team, looking for areas that can be improved to enhance our chances of winning. We began the process of reshaping our team last season when we traded for assets that we believe will help us in the years to come. As we approach the trade deadline and into the off-season, we will be focused on adding young, competitive players that combine speed and skill and acquiring draft picks to rebuild our farm system and develop players. 

This may mean we lose some familiar faces like Scott (Niedermayer), Brian (Rolston), guys we all care about & respect.  While this is part of the game it's never easy. Our promise to you is that our plans will be guided by our singular commitment: ensuring we're building the foundation for our next Stanley Cup contender. There are no fans like Devils fans. You are passionate, loyal and true. You fill The CAA and our proposed new arena in Newark, and we always know there will be a strong showing from Devils Nation in every building across the League. We do not take your support for granted. We appreciate that you have always stood by us, and we ask you to remain by our side as we undertake this exciting new chapter filled with promise and change.

We will keep you informed as this process takes shape. Thank you for the incredible loyalty, pride and respect you show to the New Jersey Devils, each and every day.