MATTY'S MAILBAG: Food, Captains, and Broadcasting

Welcome to Matty's Mailbag, where Devils radio play-by-play man Matt Loughlin answers questions submitted by the fans. This week, the topics ranged from who will be captain to favorite Thanksgiving dishes.

MATT:I think these additions will benefit the Devils in a few ways, but Murray will have to have strong, consistent play and remain healthy. They are both veteran defensemen, so they bring a ton of experience. That's never a bad thing.
They are both listed at 6'1 so they will add size to the lineup, bringing an element of being harder to play against which is something GM Tom Fitzgerald focused on as an area that needed improvement.
They are both playing for their next contract (Ryan has one year left on his deal while Dmitry signed a one-year contract as a free agent) and that means they will be motivated.
Finally, they are both good "first pass" d-men. One of the Devils issues last year was getting pinned in their own end. That first pass is crucial in breaking the opponent's forecheck and it was lacking too often last year. It's an overlooked skill, but the ability to go tape-to-tape with that first pass is so important and these two guys are good at it.

MATT:The media world is constantly changing but one thing has remained constant: hard work will get you far and serve you well throughout your career. Hard work can take the form of being a presence at games and practices, reporting on a regular basis, being prepared (a must!), being respectful, and staying in contact with your colleagues who will recommend you to others and/or tell you about opportunities at other outlets.
That's once you get into the business. But how do you do that? It's not easy to get that first job, but there are more opportunities than ever.
So, while you wait for that first job, create your own content! Start a website, produce a podcast, buy a ticket to a game and do some play-by-play from your seats (it worked for Doc Emrick so I think it's safe to say that it's a road to success!). Start the process.
If your high school offers a communications curriculum, take some courses. If you're in college, take advantage of the school's radio or TV station.
And then go back to the beginning of my answer. Work hard!

MATT:There are a bunch, and it doesn't mean I don't like to speak with the players I leave off the list.
Among the best are Connor Carrick, who has varied interests beyond hockey-just listen to the podcast Amanda Stein and I did with him to get an inkling of what I'm talking about; Kyle Palmieri, who tells it like it is all the time; Travis Zajac, who can be quiet when speaking to a group of media members, but has a good sense of and provides great insight when you get him alone; Mackenzie Blackwood, who is funny and has a big personality; Damon Severson, who just loves to sit around a shoot the breeze; and, P.K. Subban, who brings a larger-than-life personality to everything he does.

MATT:I love to cook so this is a good one. Full disclosure, I am a pescatarian, so I no longer eat turkey, but I still cook it.
It's hard to screw up a turkey just as long as you don't overcook it and it becomes dry. The key is to constantly baste it. Every twenty minutes or so. I do like to season it with different spices: garlic powder, paprika, thyme, etc. Rub the spice mix in the cavity, under the skin and sprinkle some on top.
Among my favorite side dishes is roasted brussel sprouts. Split them in half, sprinkle with some olive oil, add some salt and pepper and that's it. Roast them at 400/425 degrees. 25 minutes later you have a caramelized delight. Splash with a bit of balsamic vinegar and serve. I'm hungry!

MATT:Love cranberry sauce, but it's one of those food items that I generally eat only at Thanksgiving and Christmas. New Jersey is a large producer of cranberries, so it's a natural on the table here. But don't use the canned stuff! It's easy to make your own cranberry sauce at home. Here's one of the recipes I use. Trust me, it's easy to do, and it's delicious.

I do miss the old barn. The memories of three championships won still burn bright. Plus, it was where I began my Devils journey and had the opportunity to work with Doc, Chico Resch (first-time around), Stan Fischler, Pete McNab, Gary Thorne, etc.
That said, Prudential Center is a gem. It's a better building, has great sightlines and amenities. The fans are great, it's home and I love settling into the radio booth each and every game.

I'm curious to see what Tom Fitzgerald and Lindy Ruff will do regarding the letters. My instinct tells me there doesn't need to be a captain, rather, there will be a number of players who will be assigned an "A". Included in that group are the players you would expect: Kyle Palmieri, Travis Zajac and Nico Hischier. I think Damon Severson could be added to that group and P.K. Subban's voice will be heard.

Great question. I loved my time working on the TV side. As I referenced earlier, I worked with some of the best in the business. They were/are instrumental to whatever success I've had. And, man, did we have fun! "Matt and the Maven" was a blast.
But I started my career as a radio guy. And when the opportunity opened to return to my roots, I jumped at the chance. This year will be my 15th year in the radio booth! Where did the time go? And I have such great fun with Chico as my broadcast partner.
In the end, I've been blessed to have covered the team on both radio and TV, and I now get to help our great content team produce the awesome work they provide on our web site and social media.
I've loved it all.
The first #MattysMailbag was a success! Thanks to our great fans for sending in your questions. Sorry that we couldn't get to them all. Looking forward to the next edition of #MattysMailbag and wishing all of you the best for a safe, healthy, and happy Thanksgiving.