The New Jersey Devils’ 1995 Stanley Cup championship team reunited at AmeriHealth Pavilion at Prudential Center on Saturday for an alumni game in celebration of the 20th anniversary of New Jersey’s first Stanley Cup .
Upwards of 750 fans packed into the Devils’ practice facility to see 20 members of the 1995 team play against one-another.
In addition to the 20 players, coaches Jacques Lemaire, Jacques Caron, and Larry Robinson also returned to take part in the festivities.
Why Was This New Jersey Devils Team Special?
The game ended with the red team coming out on top by a score of 10-6, led by a Brian Rolston hat trick. But for the players, getting back together to take part in this game was wasn’t so much about the game itself, but rather reminiscing on the memories that team created.
“It’s great . I’ve seen maybe half of these guys over the years here and there at different events, but to get twenty-something guys back with the coaching staff and having everyone together brings back so many memories,” said Randy McKay, part of the Devils’ infamous “crash line.”
(Credit: YouTube user McKay4429061)
Getting back together gave the group a chance to reflect on what made that team in particular so successful.
For lifelong Devil Ken Daneyko, being a part of that team was not only special for in that they were the first Devils team to bring a Stanley Cup championship to New Jersey, but rather being the team that set the trend for the franchise for decades to come.
“This group in particular kind of set the foundation for this franchise.”
– Ken Daneyko
“Every Stanley Cup team is special, but this group in particular kind of set the foundation for this franchise, it was a character group on and off the ice,” said Daneyko. “This group stuck together, we stuck up for each other on the ice when you needed to do that and there was no intimidation, that’s a big reason why we won 10 games on the road. It didn’t matter what building we went in, we felt comfortable.”
“We had a little bit of everything,” added McKay. “We had scoring, we had defense, we had goaltending, we had character, we had grit. There was nothing special, just a well-balanced, well put-together team. Everyone was counting us out, everyone was predicting the Red Wings were going to win in four . For us to turn the tides and win in four straight, we had confidence, we felt good, and we were running on all cylinders.”
“Great bunch of guys, led by one of the greatest coaches ,” Martin Brodeur said. “We listened, we put our heads down, and the result was a Stanley Cup.”
Brodeur’s Return To New Jersey
Mar 07, 2015; Newark, NJ, USA; Martin Brodeur speaks to the media following the conclusion on the Devils’ 1995 championship team alumni game at AmeriHealth Pavilion at Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Smith-Pucks and Pitchforks
Of course, the main attraction was the return of Brodeur to Newark following his departure for the St. Louis Blues, both as a player and now front office member. But the NHL’s all-time winningest goaltender was happy to be a part of such a special weekend to the Devils organization and its fans.
“It’s good ,” Brodeur said. “It was fun, I didn’t hesitate to come here, but it’s always fun to come back.”
But while Brodeur has found solace in representing an organization other than the New Jersey Devils, something he did for more than 20 years prior to this season, he seemed intent on returning to the Devils at some point.
“ has been a blast,” he said. “My home is New Jersey and eventually, and hopefully, I’ll be back here in somewhat of a role, but right now I’m in St. Louis and I’m enjoying myself a lot.”
Whether or not Brodeur returns to New Jersey soon remains to be seen. But his number will surely be retired someday by the Devils’ organization, and that is something he has given thought to recently.
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“You put a lot more stuff into perspective when you’re not in the game, and you look back on what you’ve accomplished, I’ve accomplished everything here in New Jersey and nowhere else,” he explained. “So it goes through your mind what that day will be like. I’m going to wait to get the call first before really thinking about making my speech.”
Regardless of his what his future holds, Brodeur was happy to be able to give back to the fans who supported the team during their championship run, as well as reconnecting with the players who were a part of that group.
“It’s good. I think the fans are great. I think it’s fun for the organization to celebrate the 20th anniversary of winning a Stanley Cup, and it’s a big weekend for the players.”
The 20th anniversary celebration of the New Jersey Devils’ 1995 Stanley Cup Championship continues Sunday afternoon prior to New Jersey’s 5 pm tilt with the Philadelphia Flyers, as the team will be honored during a pre-game ceremony.
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