5 Former New Jersey Devils Who Might Retire This Offseason
Leaving the New Jersey Devils seemed like an inevitability for a long time. The team was not good, so the veteran players would find bigger and (sometimes) better situations to thrive. After about a year, Devils fans would move on (except for Taylor Hall). In many cases, we wouldn’t even think about this player until he retires. This offseason, Devils fans might find themselves doing that more often than before.
Last offseason, quite a few significant Devils chose to hang up their skates. P.K. Subban and former captain Andy Greene were tops among them, but Brian Boyle, Kurtis Gabriel, and Andrew Hammond still wore the red and black proudly at one point (well, maybe not Andrew Hammond). This season, there’s a chance Devils fans will see more stars and fan favorites hanging up their skates for good. Unlike last year, when Subban left the Devils and immediately joined the ESPN booth, there aren’t many players that were on the roster last season that will call it quits this year.
Some of the names on this list might feel like a long shot, but others are pretty clearly at the end of their rope. It all just depends on if they want to call it quits for good. For the first one, the decision is between him and former GM Lou Lamoriello.
Zach Parise
We don’t have to get into it. Zach Parise was the Devils star from the time he joined the team in 2005 to when he left after a Stanley Cup Final run in 2012. It’s not often a team with that much talent starts to lose stars that often, but Parise chose to join the Minnesota Wild on Independence Day. There’s some semblance of irony there correlating free agency to independence, but we won’t go there.
Parise flamed out with the Wild, seeing his contract bought out with four seasons left on the deal. He signed with the New York Islanders, joining Lou Lamoriello for two seasons. Parise was decent in those seasons, scoring 36 goals total.
Now, Parise is waiting to make his decision. His teammates said they would give him space. The Islanders are keeping a spot open for him. However, it seems 50-50 at best he’s returning for another season. We don’t see Parise joining another team, although it’s fun to think about. He could be saying goodbye to hockey, and it’s interesting to see how Devils fans react to that.
Cory Schneider
This one just makes us sad, but Cory Schneider is 37 years old and hasn’t played an NHL game since he beat the New Jersey Devils on April 3, 2022. He spent all of last season with Bridgeport, the Islanders’ AHL affiliate. He posted pretty good numbers. His .913 save percentage was eight in the league, ahead of his other former Devils Louis Domingue and Keith Kinkaid.
Unfortunately for him, Bridgeport was pretty terrible when he wasn’t in net, and they missed the playoffs to the Laval Rocket by percentage points. Then, the real slap in the face came when Schneider wasn’t even called up to be the Islanders’ Black Ace in the playoffs. They instead called up Czechia goalie Jakub Skarek, who had much worse numbers than Schneider.
It seems the NHL dream will die with that win against the Devils. Honestly, it’s a fitting end for one of the best goalies of his generation. We forget just how good Schneider was. He was definitely in the conversation with the best in the world. He was in a similar situation as Connor Hellebuyck, but he had a worse team in front of him.
The reaction to Schneider’s retirement will be much different than Parise’s. Schneider is still universally loved in New Jersey, as most fans understand he was pushed to the limit and gave all his hip had to the organization. Also, unlike Parise, Schneider was bought out. He didn’t want to leave. We hope if he does hang up the skates, he will be honored at some point next season in Newark.
Jonathan Bernier
So, maybe this one makes our earlier point about not having a current Devils player retire, but Jonathan Bernier didn’t play a game last season. We might forget that Bernier was actually practicing earlier in the season, but a setback ended any chance of a comeback. Now, Bernier is likely facing the end of his career.
Bernier’s only time with the Devils was during that disastrous 2021-22 season, where the Devils were forced to employ seven goalies. Bernier was one of three NHL goalies brought on to help them get over the hump. However, his injury ended that idea pretty early. Mackenzie Blackwood’s injury put the idea to bed for good. After a few too many games with Jon Gillies and Andrew Hammond in net (not sure why he’s taking so many shots in this article), it was clear the Devils did not have the right answer.
As far as legacy goes, Bernier’s likely lives in Toronto. While he was only there for three seasons, he posted his best numbers there and was the de facto starter for two of them. He might have spent more time in Los Angeles, but he played a lot fewer games constantly competing with Jonathan Quick.
Injuries are unfortunately a part of the NHL and some end careers. Bernier’s time with the Devils was cut short, but now he gets to enjoy time with his growing family in whatever city they want.
Wayne Simmonds
Now, we’ve arrived to “oh right, that did happen” territory. Wayne Simmonds spent less than a full season with the New Jersey Devils, and it never really worked. The Devils signed Simmonds to a one-year deal to add a veteran presence to a growing team. He was on that disaster 2019-2020 season that led to the firing of Ray Shero and John Hynes.
Simmonds had 24 points in 61 games with the Devils. Not exactly lighting the world on fire. To be honest, we remember Simmonds more for his Instagram videos with Subban than we do for any on-ice contributions. He signed a one-year $5 million contract, and the Devils didn’t really get their money’s worth.
However, this was the start of the legend of Tom Fitzgerald. He traded Simmonds for a fifth-round pick. It was a pick that felt innocuous at the time, but then he used it to take Topias Vilen. The left-handed defenseman already has the tools to become an NHL defenseman.
Simmonds spent the fast few seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He was an extra for most of that time. Now, he might be looking for work off the ice. Simmonds time with the Devils was brief, but if Vilen turns into anything significant, this might be another steal for the Tom Fitzgerald record books.
Jaromir Jagr
We get it. Jaromir Jagr is never going to retire. He is going to play until they have to wheel him out on the ice. Then, he’d transfer to sled hockey.
However, when looking at a list like this, Jagr has to at least be considered. He’s 51 years old for goodness sake. Yes, Jagr has a lot on the line with his team in Czechia. Sponsors rely on him. His team might get relegated if he doesn’t play. He also isn’t that bad, even at this ridiculous age. He had 14 points in 26 games.
Without Jagr, the team might move from Kladno. That’s a lot of pressure on one man, especially when it’s a team so close to Jagr. He played for Kladno way back in the 1980s before he made his NHL debut. Now, he has a chance to give back.
Next. 5 Devils Players With Biggest Question Marks. dark
We haven’t even talked about Jagr’s short time with the Devils. It was really fun at a time that could have been devastating. Jagr lifted the post-Kovalchuk Devils. While they didn’t make the playoffs, Jagr brought an element of competitiveness to those teams. Now, he’s trying to do the same more than a decade later. However, it might just be time. Even Tom Brady retired this year. Jagr might follow suit.