Eastern Conference - Atlantic Division
New Jersey Devils
| Team's name: New Jersey Devils Conference: Eastern Division: Atlantic  Location: Newark, New Jersey Nickname: Devils Mascot: N.J. Devil Team Colors: Red, black and white Joined the Conference: 1974 General Manager: Lou Lamoriello Hockey Head Coach: Brent Sutter Hockey Stadium: Prudential Center Current Capacity: 17,625 First Year of Hockey: 1974 Team Titles: Stanley Cup: 1994-95, 99-00, 02-03 Conference Championships: 1994-95, 99-00, 2000-01, 02-03 Division Championships: 1996-97, 97-98, 98-99, 00-01, 02-03, 05-06, 06-07, 08-09 |
Based in Newark, New Jersey, the New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team that is a member of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the NHL. The team was first founded in 1974; it was an expansion team located in Kansas City and known as the Kansas City Scouts. Like many expansion teams, the Scouts suffered an abysmal first season, scoring only 41 points.
The Scouts faced difficulties both on and off the ice. A financial crisis left the team $1 million in debt, and soon thereafter the Scouts were sold and renamed the Colorado Rockies. The instability continued for the next eight years, until the early 1980s, when New Jersey magnate John McMullen purchased the team and moved it to his home state.
The team was renamed the New Jersey Devils, but the change in moniker didn’t bring about a change in success. In fact, the renowned Edmonton Oilers player Wayne Gretzky claimed that the Devils were “ruining the whole league” and that “they had better stop running a Mickey Mouse organization and put somebody on the ice.”
The next several years saw a slow improvement for the Devils, until finally, in the 1987-88 season, the team made its first winning season in its 14-year history. The Devils defeated the Chicago Blackhawks and overcame a tie with the New York Rangers to enter into the Patrick Division. Though New Jersey made it to the conference finals, the team finally lost to the Boston Bruins in seven games.
The team slipped back under .500. A series of staffing changes in the early 1990s brought former Montreal Canadiens coach Jacques Lemaire to New Jersey. The team exploded through the 1993-94 regular season with its first 100-point season, and the Devils claimed third seed behind the Rangers and the Penguins. The team boasted a strong lineup and a goaltender, Martin Brodeur, who received the Calder Memorial Trophy. The Devils closely lost the playoffs to the New York Rangers.
In 1995, the Devils swept the favored Detroit Red Wings for their first-ever Stanley Cup. Five years later, with Patrik Elias, Petr Sykora, and Jason Arnott giving them their “A-line,” the Devils claimed the Stanley Cup again, defeating the defending champions, the Dallas Stars, for the title. The team made it to the finals yet again the next season, but was defeated by the Colorado Avalanche.
In 2002, the Devils entered the postseason but lost their first series against the Carolina Hurricanes. In 2003, the Devils again broke into the postseason with 108 points and second seed; the team claimed the conference finals over the Ottawa Senators and claimed the President’s Trophy. The Devils entered the Stanley Cup Finals against the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, and after 7 back-and-forth games, defeated the California team to receive their third Stanley Cup victory. Goaltender Brodeur took home the Vezina Trophy.
Although the Devils made it to the postseason again in 2004, the team seemed to fall apart in early 2005. The loss of key players – Patrik Elias (due to illness), Scott Niedermayer, and Scott Stevens – along with the resignation of head coach Pat Burns left the Devils struggling through the beginning of the regular season. Defensemen Dan McGills and Vladimir Malakhov and wingman Alexander Mogilny were signed onto the team, and Lou Lamoriello became head coach.
Elias’ return, however, quickly brought a turnaround. The Devils experienced a fifteen-game winning streak, entering the postseason, until they finally lost to the Carolina Canes.
In 2007, the Devils lost Scott Gomez and Brian Rafalski and signed on Sabre forward Dainius Zubrus, defensemen Karel Rachunek and Vitali Vishnevski, and backup goalie Kevin Weekes. Brent Sutter was declared head coach. The team did not enter the postseason, losing the last game of the regular season to the New York Rangers. Brodeur did, however, take home the Vezina Trophy for the fourth time in five years.
An injury to Brodeur seemed to put the Devils’ 2009-09 season in danger. However, Zach Parise was able to score and a newly signed backup goalie, Scott Clemensen, was able to keep the New Jersey team at the top of their division standings. Brodeur returned during the regular season and claimed his 552nd victory. The Devils entered the first round of the playoffs, but ultimately lost to the Carolina Hurricanes in a close 7-game series.
New Jersey Devils Current Roster
| Centers | |||||
| No. | Name | Age | HT | WT | Shot |
| 16 | Bobby Holik | 38 | 6-4 | 230 | R |
| 11 | John Madden | 35 | 5-11 | 190 | L |
| 12 | Brian Rolston | 36 | 6-2 | 210 | L |
| 19 | Travis Zajac | 23 | 6-2 | 200 | R |
| 8 | Dainius Zubrus | 30 | 6-4 | 231 | L |
| Left Wings | |||||
| No. | Name | Age | HT | WT | Shot |
| 26 | Patrik Elias | 33 | 6-1 | 195 | L |
| 25 | Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblond | 23 | 6-2 | 210 | L |
| 20 | Jay Pandolfo | 34 | 6-1 | 190 | L |
| 9 | Zach Parise | 24 | 5-11 | 190 | L |
| 17 | Mike Rupp | 29 | 6-5 | 230 | L |
| 18 | Brendan Shanahan | 40 | 6-3 | 220 | R |
| Right Wings | |||||
| No. | Name | Age | HT | WT | Shot |
| 23 | David Clarkson | 25 | 6-1 | 205 | R |
| 14 | Brian Gionta | 30 | 5-7 | 175 | R |
| 15 | Jamie Langenbrunner | 33 | 6-1 | 200 | R |
| Defense | |||||
| No. | Name | Age | HT | WT | Shot |
| 6 | Andy Greene | 26 | 5-11 | 195 | L |
| 28 | Niclas Havelid | 36 | 6-0 | 200 | L |
| 2 | Jay Leach | 29 | 6-4 | 220 | L |
| 7 | Paul Martin | 28 | 6-1 | 190 | L |
| 27 | Mike Mottau | 31 | 6-0 | 193 | L |
| 29 | Johnny Oduya | 27 | 6-0 | 195 | L |
| 24 | Bryce Salvador | 33 | 6-2 | 211 | L |
| 5 | Colin White | 31 | 6-4 | 215 | L |
| Goalies | |||||
| No. | Name | Age | HT | WT | Shot |
| 30 | Martin Brodeur | 36 | 6-2 | 215 | L |
| 35 | Scott Clemmensen | 31 | 6-3 | 205 | L |
| 1 | Kevin Weekes | 34 | 6-1 | 215 | L |