Pucks and Pitchforks
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New Jersey Devils: 5 Strange Names On Stanley Cup

By Nick Villano

Turner Stevenson #24 of the New Jersey Devils celebrates with the Stanley Cup in the locker room after defeating the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim in game seven of the 2003 Stanley Cup Finals at Continental Airlines Arena on June 9, 2003 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Devils defeated the Ducks 3-0 to win the Stanley Cup. (Photo by Dave Sandford/Getty Images/NHLI)
Turner Stevenson #24 of the New Jersey Devils celebrates with the Stanley Cup in the locker room after defeating the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim in game seven of the 2003 Stanley Cup Finals at Continental Airlines Arena on June 9, 2003 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Devils defeated the Ducks 3-0 to win the Stanley Cup. (Photo by Dave Sandford/Getty Images/NHLI) /
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New Jersey Devils
Head coach Robbie Ftorek of the New Jersey Devils: (Al Bello/Allsport) /

Robbie Ftorek

This one has to be bittersweet for Robbie Ftorek. On one hand, he gets a Stanley Cup ring and a chance to have his name live on in hockey lore. On the other hand, he was fired. Lou Lamoriello made a change at head coach just nine games before the playoffs. The players were not happy with Ftorek, especially Ken Daneyko. So, Lou made the change.

Usually, someone who is fired/traded/cut doesn’t get his name on the Stanley Cup. Well, Ftorek was different. He technically still worked for the Devils. So, it was more like a demotion than an outright firing. Lamoriello kept Ftorek as a scout for the remainder of the 1999-00 season. Larry Robinson took over the team, and there was new life among the Devils.

Ftorek probably wasn’t getting this Devils team motivated through four rounds that season. The team was incredibly talented, but playing for someone you don’t believe in just doesn’t work. It’s ironic that the coach that was fired is still on the Stanley Cup, but that’s how it worked. Terry Murray isn’t on the Los Angeles Kings 2012 Stanley Cup. You won’t see Mike Johnston’s name under the 2016 Pittsburgh Penguins. Teams usually actually move on from their removed head coaches. Not the Devils.

Ftorek was a little different since he was fired so close to the playoffs, but teams still don’t look back with names on the Stanley Cup. A lot of scouts don’t get their name on it in the first place. Lamoriello obviously felt the need to make it right, even though it was completely unnecessary.

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