Definitive New Jersey Devils Mount Rushmore Of Forwards

Claude Lemieux

Claude Lemieux is one of the most clutch players to ever wear the red and black uniform. Acquired for Sylvain Turgeon in 1990, Lemieux made his presence felt immediately with three straight 30-plus goal seasons, including a 41-goal campaign in the 1991-92 season.

Lemieux immediately became a fan favorite not just for his offensive prowess, but also his physical brand of hockey. He had a way of energizing the team with a big hit, or getting under the skin of his opponents. Following a disappointing shorted season during the 1994-95 regular season, he turned on the light switch and became a man possessed during the team’s quest in winning their first Stanley Cup in 1995.

Lemieux’s prolific slap shot took full reign in the playoffs, perhaps none bigger than the game winning goal in a pivotal game 5 against the Philadelphia Flyers. He scored an astounding 13 goals that summer, along with three game winning goals. Lemieux would go onto winning the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoff MVP. His two month scoring binge is unlike any hockey we have seen from a Devils forward.

Later that summer, Lemieux and the team were involved in a nasty contract dispute that would eventually see the hero of the 1995 playoffs traded. It was not so much a goodbye as it was so long, as he was later re-acquired during the 1999-2000 season for Brian Rolston. He played very well in his return to New Jersey and helped bring Lord Stanley back to the Garden State for the team’s second championship in 2000. While his numbers are not as gaudy as other players in franchise history, he is one of the most clutch.