Greatest New Jersey Devils player of all time: 26. Stephane Richer
This one will come as a surprise to many. Stephane Richer is not considered with the same lore as the previous three players. However, he had some amazing moments and consistent production during his six years in New Jersey. He was also crucial to the Devils’ ascent to the top of the standings, turning this team into a consistent playoff performer.
Richer joined the Devils in 1991. He was part of the superstar trade that sent Kirk Muller to the Montreal Canadiens. It was two great scorers who switched teams in the primes of their careers. Richer was fantastic for the Devils. He didn’t hit the 50 goals he had with Montreal, but he did score 36 and 38 goals in consecutive seasons in New Jersey.
Where Richer brought his best production was in the playoffs. Coming into New Jersey with a Stanley Cup ring to his name, he was great in both 1994 and 1995. He actually had two overtime goals in 1994 as the Devils made another run to the Eastern Conference Finals. He scored one against the Bruins in Game 4 (that made it 2-2 in the series), and he scored the 2OT winner in Game 1 of the Rangers series.
In 1995, Richer led the team with 21 points. He had a point in every Stanley Cup Final game, including goals in the first two games against the Detroit Red Wings. This was such an underrated player for this team, and the Devils might only have two Stanley Cups if the Richer trade never happens.