50 Greatest New Jersey Devils Players of All Time: Numbers 40-31
By Nick Villano
The New Jersey Devils have a long history of great players. As we celebrate the 40th season of Devils hockey in the Garden State, we look at some of the players in the 31 to 40 range. We’re in the great depth range here. None of these players are making the Hall of Fame (at least for their Devils contributions), but they are an integral part of a winning culture.
In part two of our series, we look at these very special players. We start with a surprisingly solid trade piece that turned into one of the few players who could call themselves “captain.”
If you missed part one, click here for players 50-41.
Greatest New Jersey Devils player of all time: 40. Bryce Salvador
Bryce Salvador is a former captain who took over a team coming off an incredible run. Zach Parise captained the 2012 team. Then, Parise left for Minnesota, and the captain’s role was left behind. The Devils named a defenseman captain for the first time since Scott Stevens retired and Scott Niedermayer left for Anaheim. Salvador took on the role in the twilight of his career.
It’s always hard to compare Salvador’s impact to other players across eras. He only had 110 points in his career. This is a career that spanned 15 years (although one was completely lost to a lockout, and another was lost due to injury). The Devils traded for Salvador in February of 2008, sending fan favorite Cam Janssen to the St. Louis Blues.
The Devils wanted to add a veteran to the blue line. This hasn’t always worked out in the past, and Salvador being 32 at the time of the trade could have spelled doom for another Lou Lamoriello acquisition. Instead, Salvador brought consistency to the lineup. In his first full season with the Devils, Salvador scored two game-winning goals. It seemed like in his first few years in New Jersey. He had a knack for clutch play. He would make the right pass at the right time or put the perfect poke check when Martin Brodeur needed it most.
Salvador was incredible during the Devils’ run to the 2012 Stanley Cup Final. He scored four goals and recorded 10 assists during the run. His last few seasons were mired by injuries, which is unfortunate. Salvador’s time in New Jersey will be about his impact on and off the ice. He was a leader who helped this team reach heights it once became accustomed to. Maybe his lore puts him higher on this list, but he deserves that for what he brought to the team.