Pucks and Pitchforks
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New Jersey Devils: All-Time Winter Olympic Lineups

By Mike Luci

Canada's goalkeeper Martin Brodeur looks up after missing the puck given the USA team their first goal during the Men's preliminary Ice Hockey match Canada against USA at the XXI Winter Olympic games in Vancouver's Canada Hockey Place on February 21, 2010. AFP PHOTO / LUIS ACOSTA (Photo credit should read LUIS ACOSTA/AFP via Getty Images)
Canada's goalkeeper Martin Brodeur looks up after missing the puck given the USA team their first goal during the Men's preliminary Ice Hockey match Canada against USA at the XXI Winter Olympic games in Vancouver's Canada Hockey Place on February 21, 2010. AFP PHOTO / LUIS ACOSTA (Photo credit should read LUIS ACOSTA/AFP via Getty Images) /
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Patrik Elias and Petr Sykora (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
Patrik Elias and Petr Sykora (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /

Team Central Europe

Forwards

Patrik Elias (1995-2016): GP: 1240 G: 408 A: 617

Bobby Holik (1992-2002, 2008-2009): GP: 786 G: 202 A: 270

Petr Sykora (1995-2002, 2011-2012): GP: 527 G: 166 A: 228

Defense

Marek Zidlicky (2012-2015): GP: 214 G: 22 A: 70

Uli Hiemer (1984-1987): GP: 143 G: 19 A: 54

Goaltender

Gilles Senn (2019-Present): GP: 2 Record: 0-1-0 GAA: 3.42 SV% .902

The Czech Republic and Switzerland were each 1-2 players away from having their teams in this piece, but the New Jersey Devils haven’t had players in every position from either country, prompting the merge of all Central European nations. There might be some debate over whether Bobby Holik or Nico Hischier should center this lineup, and while Hischier should eventually become the better player, Holik gets the edge due to his lengthy tenure and two Stanley Cups he won over his 11 seasons in New Jersey.

All three forwards won a Stanley Cup together in 2000, with Patrik Elias (the organization’s all-time leading scorer) and Petr Sykora being the infamous A-Line’s wings that guided New Jersey to consecutive Stanley Cup Finals appearances. Both Elias and Sykora were also on the 2011-12 team that reached the Stanley Cup Finals. In addition to playing in three Stanley Cup Finals with the New Jersey Devils, Elias also holds the team record for most points in a season (96, 2000-2001), and had his number retired in 2018. He is the only forward in that exclusive group.

Most New Jersey Devils fans still remember Marek Zidlicky, who was acquired at the 2012 trade deadline and led the team in ice time during that postseason. Uli Hiemer’s tenure with the organization only lasted three seasons and is a name most Devils fans probably don’t even know or remember. He’s one of two non-Czech players in this lineup and the organization’s first German-born player. Hiemer was originally drafted by the Colorado Rockies in 1981 and played with the Devils during their early years. Swiss-born Gilles Senn is the youngest goalie (23) featured in these lineups, having been drafted in 2017, and primarily qualified for this list because he appeared in two games this season.

Honorable Mentions: Nico Hischier, Jaromir Jagr, Jan Ludvig

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