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New Jersey Devils Legend Patrik Elias Should Make Hockey Hall Of Fame

By Vincent Parise

NEWARK, NJ - FEBRUARY 24: Former New Jersey Devil Patrik Elias #26 jersey is lifted during a retirement ceremony prior to a game against the New York Islanders at the Prudential Center on February 24, 2018 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Adam Hunger/Getty Images)
NEWARK, NJ - FEBRUARY 24: Former New Jersey Devil Patrik Elias #26 jersey is lifted during a retirement ceremony prior to a game against the New York Islanders at the Prudential Center on February 24, 2018 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Adam Hunger/Getty Images) /
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The New Jersey Devils, for a long time, were a team that was built on goaltending and defense. However, there needed to be some goals scored as well. The greatest to ever do it in the history of the franchise is Patrik Elias. 

Over the course of his career, he scored 408 goals and had 617 assists for 1025 points in 1240 games played. It didn’t end for Elias in the regular season either. He was brilliant in the playoffs as he had 45 goals and 80 assists in 162 playoff games. He also holds the franchise record for most points in a series when he scored 11 (!!!) points against our hated rival the New York Rangers in 2006. This includes one game where he had two goals and four assists, coming into play for all six Devils goals!

He won the Stanley Cup with the Devils in 2000 and 2003 in addition to many other deep playoff runs. He is absolutely the best forward in the history of the team as he is their all-time leading scorer.

The National Hockey League wasted no time announcing the Hall of Fame inductees as they did it just one day after the Stanley Cup was awarded to the Colorado Avalanche. The class of 2022 includes:

  • Henrik Sedin
  • Daniel Sedin
  • Daniel Alfredsson
  • Roberto Luongo
  • Riika Sallinen
  • Herb Carnegie (builder)

That is an incredible class of very deserving people. However, Patrik Elias deserves to be on that list just as much as everyone else. He was the best forward on two Cup teams and he is the all-time leading scorer of a very historic franchise.

New Jersey Devils legend Patrick Elias deserves to be in the Hall of Fame.

Henrik and Daniel Sedin were known for being wizards with one another on the ice as they always knew how to find each other. There is no doubt that it was cool to watch. Their best seasons were probably better than Elias’s best season but Elias had a way better career.

Elias never won individual trophies quite like those two but he had a higher point per game than both of them through the course of his playing days. Everyone knows just how impactful he was on offense while maintaining a very responsible two-way game.

light. Related Story. Should the New Jersey Devils consider William Nylander?

This isn’t to say that the Sedin twins don’t deserve to be in either. It does say that Elias should be in if they are going to go in though. Most people would take the carer with a higher point per game, playoff domination, and not one but two Stanley Cups.

We can only hope that this New Jersey Devils legend finds his way in one day. He is just as deserving (if not more) than a lot of people who have already gotten in. It may happen one day. We’ll see.

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