The New Jersey Devils have an illustrious history that includes three Stanley Cups. Those wins came eight seasons apart, and in that time, there were a lot of role players who made it a point to help this team win. Wildly enough, despite there being 50 players on this list in total, this is where it becomes clear that players are missing.
Players 21 to 30 have some of the ultimate fan favorites. There is a clear line right here where they had incredible impacts on this franchise. Some had the highest of the highest, and others had long, prosperous careers. All of them brought memories for us fans that will last a lifetime.
For those who missed parts one and two, click on the following links: 50-41 and 40-31.
Greatest New Jersey Devils player of all time: 30. Jamie Langenbrunner
Jamie Langenbrunner was the “other guy” in the massive trade between the Dallas Stars and New Jersey Devils. Lou Lamoriello shocked the hockey world when he sent Jason Arnott, the same player that ended the Stars Stanley Cup dreams with an overtime winner in the 2000 Stanley Cup Final, Randy McKay, and a first-round pick for Joe Nieuwendyk and Langenbrunner.
Nieuwendyk is a future Hall of Famer. He was regularly a 30-goal scorer, and he had 23 goals at the time of the trade. Yet, he left less than two years later.
Meanwhile, Jamie Langenbrunner became the gem of the trade for either side. He spent nine years on the Devils, became their captain after Scott Stevens retired (and the Patrik Elias debacle), was a pivotal part of their 2003 Championship, and he even paid them dividends after he left. When he was traded back to the Stars in 2011, the Devils got a third-round pick in the deal. That third-round pick turned into Blake Coleman.
Langenbrunner finished his Devils career with 385 points in parts of nine seasons. He was regularly a 50-60 point player. Langenbrunner was clearly one of the best fits in Lou Lamoriello’s system and expectations.