50 Greatest New Jersey Devils Players Of All Time

The New Jersey Devils have a long, wonderful history in the NHL which includes three Stanley Cup wins. Which players are the best that have ever graced the ice in New Jersey?

This year marks 40 years of New Jersey Devils hockey. There have been incredible highs with this franchise and devastating lows. This season, the Devils set multiple franchise records, including wins (52) and points (112). The recent lows made this high feel so much better. It has us thinking  Three Stanley Cups, five Stanley Cup Final appearances, 11 Hall of Famers, and the greatest goalie of all time. Overall, Devils fans are lucky.

The Devils came into the league officially in 1982. The legendary Dr. John McMullen brought the franchise to the Garden State from Colorado. It’s the third stop for a franchise that started in Kansas City eight years prior to their move to the Northeast. At the time, there were 21 teams in the league, and expansion was close to a decade away.

Since then, there’s been talk of relocation, which includes a very awkward Gary Bettman interview at the Stanley Cup Final. There have been incredible highs (Henrique, it’s over might be tops among them), and there have been incredible lows (we’d need some time for this one, but the day Zach Parise left has to be at least close to the top).

One thing that unites all Devils fans is the love for this franchise and the love for this sport. The Devils are considered the third team in the New York Metropolitan Area. That makes fans even more ravenous when rooting for them. It started in Brendan Byrne Arena. It eventually evolved into a championship arena in East Rutherford called the Continental Airlines Arena. Now, the games are played at the Prudential Center.

At the peak of it all is the players. We wear their jersey. We scream their name. Some of us wait for hours to get a glimpse of them, and others buy season tickets just to spend a little time with them. You’ll still see jerseys around the arena of players who once called this team home. Now, let’s celebrate them, while also ranking them based on their impacts to this franchise. To be clear, we are ranking the players based on their contribution to the Devils only. All active players will be judged based on their contributions to this date, as if they retired today.

50. Jaromir Jagr
49. Kyle Palmieri
48. Mel Bridgman
47. Grant Marshall
46. Glenn “Chico” Resch
45. Marek Zidlicky
44. Valeri Zelepukin
43. Jesper Bratt
42. Nico Hischier
41. Damon Severson
40. Bryce Salvador
39. Bill Guerin
38. Brian Rolston
37. Jay Pandolfo
36. Peter Stasny
35. Colin White
34. Paul Martin
33. Tommy Albelin
32. Brendan Shanahan
31. Andy Greene
30. Jamie Langenbrunner
29. Aaron Broten
28. Cory Schneider
27. Ilya Kovalchuk
26. Stephane Richer
25. Alexander Mogilny
24. Randy McKay
23. Pat Verbeek
22. Adam Henrique
21. Bruce Driver

If you’d like to see the explanations for the first 30 choices, click on the following links: 50-41, 40-31, 30-21.

Greatest New Jersey Devils player of all time: 20. Taylor Hall

Okay, stop booing me. Taylor Hall was legitimately one of the best players ever to put on a New Jersey Devils jersey. His MVP year, the only Hart Trophy in the history of Devils hockey, might be the greatest season out of any Devils forward ever. While he didn’t break Patrik Elias‘s (and now Jack Hughes‘s) single-season points record, between the point streak and the physical carrying the Devils to their first playoff appearance in years, it was a sight to behold.

Hall’s impact started the second he was traded here. “The trade is one-for-one,” referencing the tweet Bob McKenzie sent out when Hall was traded straight up for Adam Larsson, will always be a part of Devils history. That moment gave Devils fans as much excitement as anything we’ve ever seen.

His first season in New Jersey was demonstrably average. He had 20 goals and 39 assists in 72 games. After a postseason talk with Ray Shero, something clicked in Hall. He went from a middling player to the MVP. He scored 39 goals and hit 93 points in 2017-18. His most exciting stretch was his 26-game point streak. It was the 11th-best streak in NHL history (although there’s some controversy since he was injured in the middle of it).

After that MVP year, Hall had one injury-riddled season (although he was great in the 33 games he played), and one season where it seemed like he changed his game. He was still really good after his MVP year, but we don’t remember that because of everything that went with it. It was injuries and trade talks. It was a rough end to an amazing, yet short, journey. This will be too high for some Devils fans, and we acknowledge that, but that one season was so amazing, and the rest of the time is probably better than we remember.

Greatest New Jersey Devils player of all time: 19. Petr Sykora

A few iconic lines always stand out in New Jersey Devils history. The Crash Line was a fan favorite that helped those mid-90s teams take it to the next level. The 2012 4th Line was an underdog story that headline writers could get behind. However, nothing was like the “A” Line. Petr Sykora, Patrik Elias, and Jason Arnott had the best chemistry ever. They basically knew what the other was going to do, and it brought out the best in all three players. It made Sykora a Devils legend.

Sykora was the 18th overall pick in the 1995 NHL Draft.  He made the Devils right out of training camp, and he was good as a rookie. He had a different experience, including some professional experience in Europe. That helped his quick transition into the NHL. He still had some ups and downs until the 1998-99 season when the “A” Line was established. His 72 points showed he could be a top-line player for this team.

Sykora was an offensive machine for the next three seasons, putting up 72, 68, and 81 points, respectively. He was great in the playoffs, putting up 17 points in 2000 and a ridiculous 22 points in 2001. Of course, his injury in Game 6 of the 2000 Stanley Cup Final put a small haze over the celebration, but he did get to have his celebration years later.

Sykora had a weird career after being traded to the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. He was good there for a few seasons, before bouncing around to Edmonton, New York, and Pittsburgh before heading back to Europe. Lou Lamoriello lured him back for one more season in New Jersey, ending it where he started. He was a huge contributor, scoring 21 goals as a 35-year-old. It was his last season in the NHL, helping him pass the 1,000-game threshold.

Greatest New Jersey Devils player of all time: 18. Jason Arnott

From one “A” line member to the other, Jason Arnott centered one of the best lines in hockey. He spent parts of five seasons with the Devils, his best obviously coming in 1999-00 and 2000-01. He had more than a point per game in 2000-01 despite spending some time on the injured list.

Of course, Arnott is most known for one of the most important goals in NHL history. There are only so many walk-off Stanley Cup winners. It’s happened three times since the new millennium. Arnott’s winner was amazing. Patrik Elias found the puck in the corner and found Arnott rushing toward the net. He did not miss, beating the great Ed Belfour and putting a second Stanley Cup banner into the Continental Airlines Arena (and now the Prudential Center).

Obviously, Arnott did more than just that one goal, but also obviously, nothing can touch that one goal. Arnott had at least 20 goals in every season he started with the Devils in his first stint. He broke 50 points in every full season. Then, he was surprisingly traded in a blockbuster that brought Joe Nieuwendyk and Jamie Langenbrunner to New Jersey.

Arnott returned to the Devils in 2010. It was mostly nostalgia at that point. Arnott only had 24 points in his final season in New Jersey before being traded to the Capitals before the trade deadline. We still fondly look at his time in New Jersey, and it mostly comes down to being at the right place at the right time.

Greatest New Jersey Devils player of all time: 17. Brian Gionta

Brian Gionta still to this day holds the Devils single-season goals record. That record survived an MVP season, multiple number-one overall picks, and some incredibly skilled offensive players coming through New Jersey. Gionta broke that record, scoring 48 goals in the 2005-06 campaign. Gionta may have never hit those heights again, but he was really good for his entire Devils tenure.

We’ve seen stories similar to Gionta’s time and time again. A highly-skilled player falls in the NHL Draft because of his size. Gionta was just 5’7, and he fell to the third round of the 1998 draft. It was one of the best picks of Lou Lamoriello at the time. After a few years at Boston College, Gionta was ready for the NHL.

He got a great experience immediately. In his rookie season, he made the playoff roster. The Devils won two games in the first round against the Carolina Hurricanes. Gionta has the game-winning goal in both games. The next season, he was ready for the playoffs, and the Devils had one of the best teams in the NHL. Gionta was able to get a Stanley Cup ring in just his second season in the league.

Gionta would play seven years with the Devils, putting up 312 points and only having one year with a negative +/-. He was incredibly consistent. The Devils knew they could rely on his abilities. He had this one great season and never hit 30 goals again, but he was always right on the cusp.

Greatest New Jersey Devils player of all time: 16. Brian Rafalski

We’re going to be real with the readers for a moment: Brian Rafalski was one of the hardest players to rank on this list. He was so good. Honestly, he is incredibly underrated, possibly on this list right now. Rafalski was one of the better offensive defensemen in the league during his time. He played seven seasons with the Devils and put up 311 points. That’s almost as much as Gionta.

Rafalski joined the Devils in 1998 after four seasons in Europe. He needed no time in the AHL, immediately showing he was ready for the NHL. He played 75 games in his first NHL season and put up 32 points. That total jumped to 52 in 1999-00, making him a crucial part of what would become a Stanley Cup winner. He put up a ridiculous 18 points in the playoffs, coming up with clutch scoring across all four series wins.

From there, Rafalski became a staple in one of the great defenses of its time. Of course, Rafalski was overlooked. He was on a unit with Scott Niedermayer, Ken Daneyko, and Scott Stevens. Seriously, what a unit.

Rafalski would have been a superstar in 2023. He was way ahead of his time. However, Lamoriello knew he could be exactly what this team needed when he was targeted. He left the Devils in 2007 to sign with the Detroit Red Wings, where he won another Stanley Cup. Rafalski was one of the best, and he should get his flowers.

Greatest New Jersey Devils player of all time: 15. Jack Hughes

We went so long before we had to see those black jerseys, but here we are. Jack Hughes is the greatest thing the Devils have going right now. He’s their superstar and proved it in the 2021-22 season. The 2019 first-overall pick in the NHL Draft had a slow start to his career. He was pretty bad his rookie season, only putting up 21 points in 61 games. The season ended mercilessly when the Devils couldn’t even make the 24-team playoffs.

In his second season, he looked like a different player. He spent a 10-month offseason building muscle after being pushed around his rookie season, which made a difference. His sophomore campaign was spent taking over games and really making an impact every night. Then, the entire team dealt with a COVID outbreak, and everyone seemed a little worse after that.

This past season, Hughes became a superstar. He broke the Devils franchise record for points in a season, beating Patrik Elias’ record that stood for more than two decades.

Hughes might be the best player on this list in just a few years. He definitely had the best season from an offensive player ever. He crushed it from all angles as the Devils returned to the playoffs. Hughes was often the best player on the ice as the Devils eliminated the New York Rangers. That alone brings Hughes higher on the list, and more eliminations of the team’s biggest rival will put his number in the rafters soon after his retirement. Hopefully, that is in 15+ years.

Greatest New Jersey Devils player of all time: 14. John Madden

John Madden is another complicated case. Technically, he was a bottom-six forward on a bunch of teams with players better than him. However, it was more than that. John Madden played a crucial role in a series of playoff greats. He spent 10 years in New Jersey, filling any role his coach needed on that night. Madden had scoring skill (he even scored four goals in a game once), was one of the premier defensive forwards in hockey, and he had deceptive speed that made him a marvel on the penalty kill.

Madden has the only Selke Trophy in Devils franchise history. That seems like a huge surprise for a franchise that has prioritized defensive forwards since its inception 40 years ago, but Madden is the only one who owns the trophy right now. He won the award in 2001, the year every Devils player seemingly had a career year.

The Devils lost the defense that made the team famous after the 2004-05 NHL Lockout. Stevens and Niedermayer were gone. Yet, the Devils still stopped the puck at a delirious rate. Martin Brodeur had a lot to do with that, but the defensive forwards like Madden played a huge role.

If you told someone who never saw Madden play that he would be ahead of the likes of Petr Sykora and Taylor Hall, they might say you’re insane. However, those who saw Madden play know just how important he was to this team’s winning pedigree.

Greatest New Jersey Devils player of all time: 13. Sergei Brylin

Sergei Brylin might be the ultimate fan favorite for New Jersey Devils fans. There is no Devils fan who has a bad thing to say about Brylin. He spent 13 years with the Devils. He never considered playing for another NHL team (at least as far as we know). When the Devils chose to let him hit free agency, he signed in the KHL and played there for the rest of his career. He was hoping to return in 2011, which would have been fantastic. Maybe his magic would put the Devils over the top in 2012, but we don’t want to think about that.

Brylin is one of five players who played on every Devils Stanley Cup winner. What made him so special was his versatility. He played all three forward positions, and he did it well. Some seasons, he was solely a defensive forward who became essential at stopping the other team from scoring. In other seasons, he could add in his style of offense. He even had a 23-goal, 52-point season in (of course) 2000-01.

The numbers might not jump off the stat sheet, but Brylin’s impact was felt across the ice and the locker room. He was a leader. He played the game the right way. Say all the common tropes for proper hockey players. They all can be used for Brylin. He was exactly what a championship team needs, and that is why every Devils championship team had him on the roster.

Greatest New Jersey Devils player of all time: 12. Scott Gomez

There are few players who improved their reputation with the Devils fans like Scott Gomez. When he left the Devils to sign with their biggest rivals the New York Rangers, he became public enemy number one. He was Zach Parise and Ilya Kovalchuk combined in terms of fanbase hate. Then, things fell apart in New York, went worse in Montreal, and he came back to New Jersey to rehabilitate his career. We’ll get back to that in a moment.

Gomez was a fantastic player from day one. He’s one of only two Devils players to win the Calder Trophy as Rookie of the Year (the other is Martin Brodeur; more on him later). The sensational rookie season (19 goals, 51 assists) led to a great playoff push. He had 10 points and two game-winning goals as the Devils made its way to their second Stanley Cup championship.

Gomez fit the Devils like a glove for the rest of his time in New Jersey. He only scored when he needed to score. He was one of the best setup men in the league. His 56 assists led the league in 2003-04. He broke out as a scorer in 2005-06 with 33 goals. Gomez was a first-line center and a third-line center rolled into one.

When Gomez came back to the Devils on a paid tryout in 2014, he earned a spot on the roster (eventually). He had 34 points in 58 games on what ended up being a not-very-good Devils team. That was the last game he played in a Devils uniform. He finished his career third in team history in assists and fifth in points. Those numbers deserve serious recognition.

Greatest New Jersey Devils player of all time: 11. Travis Zajac

We’re really getting into Devils royalty. Travis Zajac was a polarizing player when he was in New Jersey because of the expectations laid on him every season. Many thought he’d be the next great offensive center. That just wasn’t who he was as a player. That didn’t change the fact he was great for this franchise for a long time.

Zajac came into the league on fire. He had 42 points in his rookie season, finishing 10th in Calder Trophy voting. Two years later, he hit his offensive stride. He had 20 goals in 2008-09 and 25 goals in 2009-10. It’s no wonder Devils fans thought they had an offensive center on their hands. One would assume a 24-year-old was only going to get better offensively.

Seasons got a little strange for Zajac over the next few years. He suffered a major injury in the 2011 offseason, missing most of a special year. He returned for the playoffs and scored the pivotal goal that kept their season alive. In Game 6 of the first round against the Panthers, Zajac scored a goal in overtime to even the series at three games a piece. He finished the playoffs with 14 points and his only Stanley Cup Final appearance.

Zajac might be the next player to get his number retired. He finished his career as a crucial defensive center who could shut down the best players in the NHL on a nightly basis. While that doesn’t grab headlines, keeping Connor McDavid and Sidney Crosby off the board is as important as scoring.

Greatest New Jersey Devils player of all time: 10. Zach Parise

This is really talking about the difference between an amazing peak and a player’s longevity. Zach Parise barely squeaks past Travis Zajac because he was once one of the best players in the NHL. Do we all remember how good Parise was with the Devils? He had 410 points in 502 games in seven years with the Devils. He actually had more points in New Jersey than he did in Minnesota, despite playing two more seasons in his home state.

The Devils drafted Parise in the 2003 NHL Draft. Lou Lamoriello traded up with the Edmonton Oilers to take Parise, who became one of his best draft picks. It took him a couple of years to make the NHL, but when he did, he never left. He wasn’t a tweener NHLer. In his first season, he played 81 games and scored 14 goals.

Then, we saw the signs of a superstar. He had 31 goals and 31 assists in his second full season with the Devils. He matched those numbers in his third season (slightly better in goals and points), but he exploded in his fourth season. He had 94 points (tied for third all-time), lighting the lamp 45 times (also third all-time).

Even in a short amount of time, Parise is still fifth all-time in career goals and 10th all-time in points. He still holds a strong place within this franchise. He solidified his top-ten status with his run to the 2012 Stanley Cup Final. As the team’s captain, Parise led all players with eight goals in the playoffs. His line with Kovalchuk was always the best line on the ice. That was the best we’ve seen from him. Then, he was gone. It hurt like heck, but we can’t let that impact our analysis of what he was when he was here.

Greatest New Jersey Devils player of all time: 9. Bobby Holik

Bobby Holik is exactly what people think of when they talk about a New Jersey Devils-type player. He was a hard-nosed player who could knock a guy out as easily as he could score goals. He came to the Devils in the trade that sent Sean Burke to the Hartford Whalers. Thanks to Holik’s contributions to a host of championship Devils teams, it is now known as one of the most lopsided trades ever.

Holik would play the next decade in New Jersey, coinciding with Devils hockey becoming a dominant style across the league. His first season was in 1992-93 when the Devils were moving further away from the putrid 80s records and becoming a constant contender. He made the playoffs with the Devils in every season of his tenure outside of that bizarre 1997 season.

This was another player who could fit in what Lou Lamoriello and the coaching staff needed from him. He could be the destructive center on the Crash Line that disrupted the other team’s momentum with one hit. He could move up in the lineup and become a scorer when necessary. He was reliable, almost always healthy, and a total package as a middle-six center. He even led the entire NHL with three game-winning goals in the 2001 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Holik played on two Devils champions before signing with the New York Rangers in 2002. He doesn’t get as much hate as Gomez or other Devils who flipped to the team’s biggest rival, but maybe that’s because the Rangers gave Holik $9 million per season, and we can’t blame him for taking that. He did come back to the Devils in 2008 to provide leadership to an up-and-coming team before calling it a career in 2009.

Greatest New Jersey Devils player of all time: 8. Kirk Muller

Kirk Muller was one helluva consolation prize. The Devils missed out on Mario Lemieux by one point, but Kirk Muller was the second-overall pick in 1984. He was still an incredibly skilled forward who could be a key contributor to a future contender. Muller joined the Devils the year he was drafted, playing all 80 games in his rookie season. He put up 54 points in a formidable effort on a young team that needed more seasoning.

Muller would play the next seven seasons in New Jersey, putting up great offensive numbers. He had three straight 30-goal seasons from 1987 to 1990. In that 1988 season, when the Devils finally made the playoffs, Muller scored 94 points. It was the first notion he could be a superstar.

This was the start of Devils hockey. Despite his offensive capabilities, Muller never let the defensive side of things fall to the wayside. He became known for his two-way play, and he was even the team’s captain for four seasons. When you look up “heart-and-soul” player in the dictionary, you’ll see Muller in his Devils jersey.

Ever the opportunist, Lamoeriello traded Muller in the middle of a contract dispute before the 1991-92 season. It ended an era of Devils hockey, officially putting the high-scoring 80s in the rearview mirror.

Greatest New Jersey Devils player of all time: 7. Claude Lemieux

Some may be surprised to see Claude Lemieux this high on the list, but the contributions of this player are undeniable. The Devils traded for him in September 1990. They sent Sylvain Turgeon to the Montreal Canadiens, as Lemieux brought the playoff experience they desired for this still young team.

Lemieux made an immediate impact, scoring goals in his first season in New Jersey. He would score 41 goals in his second season here. That would be his career high. Lemieux brought immense offense for the first few years with New Jersey, but he eventually transitioned to an opportunistic style to fit what the Devils needed. That’s how he dominated the 1995 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Lemieux won the Conn Smythe Trophy for the Devils first Stanley Cup victory in 95. He scored a ridiculous 13 goals in 20 games. He knew exactly what the Devils needed to win, and he would fit himself into that role. Unfortunately, a contract dispute ended his first stint in New Jersey there. He was traded to the Avs just days before the start of the next season.

When the Devils struggled to regain the success they had, Lamoriello traded back for Lemieux. He now had another Cup, his third overall. He joined the Devils in the middle of the 1999-00 season. A successful regular season led to decent playoff performances. He was older then, but he still put up 10 points as the Devils won the Cup, the fourth of his career.

Greatest New Jersey Devils player of all time: 6. John MacLean

John MacLean was the original scorer on those early great Devils teams. He built his legacy in New Jersey. While he wasn’t their first star, he was the team’s star when they first started winning. The Devils drafted MacLean with the sixth-overall pick in 1983. He was able to make the NHL team the very next season, playing 23 games in his rookie year.

MacLean got better and better every season, putting up 13, then 23, then 31 goals in consecutive seasons. He strangely had a down season in 1987-88, the year everything seemed to fall into place for the Devils to make the playoffs for the first time. That’s fine since MacLean went nuclear in the postseason. It actually started in a pseudo-play-in game. With the Devils facing a “win and in” situation against the Blackhawks, MacLean scored to tie the game in the third period and scored with two minutes left in overtime to put themselves in the race for the Cup officially. He then posted 18 points in 20 games as the Devils made it to the Eastern Conference Finals.

MacLean was traded to San Jose in 1998, owning just about every Devils franchise record. He owned the goals, assists, and points record. He kept most of them, but Patrik Elias took most of those records at this point. MacLean still finds himself second all-time in points. With 701, it’s an attainable record for a few players on the team now.

This was a player who might be held in high esteem if it wasn’t for his tenure with the Rangers. He helped the Devils win the 1995 Cup, and he was the catalyst in the 1994 run against those very same Rangers. Still, he was the first great the Devils could claim, and he deserves this spot in the rankings.

Greatest New Jersey Devils player of all time: 5. Ken Daneyko

Now we’re getting to the section of the article we’d like to call “The Rafters.” The top five players in New Jersey Devils history all see their names in the rafters of the Prudential Center, and they are probably the only players who deserve it. Plenty of players contributed to the Devils winning ways, but nobody contributed to those Stanley Cup teams like the next five players.

Ken Daneyko is Mr. Devil. He was drafted in the first round of 1982, the first year the franchise existed as the Devils. He would spend the next four decades as a part of the Devils family, touching just about every part of the Devils. Now, he’s the Devils head color commentator for the MSG Broadcast.

Daneyko played close to 1,300 games in a Devils uniform. Nobody matches that number, and it will be hard for even the current superstars to play that many games for the Devils. He should hold that record for a long time. He was a part of every Stanley Cup champion, finding consistency late in his career as a pure stopper. While Stevens and Niedermayer brought superstar tendencies to the lineup, Daneyko was tasked with stopping the superstars on the other team.

Early in his career, Daneyko was known as a bruiser. He would regularly get 200 PIMs in a season. Once the Devils started winning, he was in the penalty box a lot less. This team needed a veteran who went on the ice and got the job done. Daneyko couldn’t do that from the penalty box. Nobody will say Daneyko’s hockey card is impressive, but he provided so much more than stats. Daneyko was a leader; a consistent force who helped this team win three championships.

Greatest New Jersey Devils player of all time: 4. Patrik Elias

We can already sense the arguments starting, but it’s impossible to be wrong when arguing for the Devils top four players ever. Patrik Elias is the best offensive player to stick with the Devils for a long time. He had a borderline Hall-of-Fame career while playing all 1,240 games with New Jersey.

Elias owns all of the offensive records. He’s like Wayne Gretzky for the Devils. He has more goals, assists, and points than anyone who’s ever worn a Devils jersey. He’s also the greatest player to spend his entire career in New Jersey. There’s so much to love about Elias. He was incredibly resourceful in his career, competing into his late 30s, and doing it at a high level.

If Elias played today, he’d be considered in the same light as Patrice Bergeron. He was one of the best in the league on both sides of the ice. He probably lost some points playing on the penalty kill, but he made the best of it. He’s second to Madden with 16 career shorthanded goals.

For plenty of players, the stats don’t tell the entire story. Elias is different. He deserved every one of those 1,025 points. The Devils don’t get to the heights they did at the turn of the millennium without him. His 2000-01 season might be the best season of any player in team history. Yes, we’re including all positions. It’s up for debate because Elias was unstoppable that year. He was rarely below his standards, and that’s how he lasted 20 seasons in New Jersey.

Greatest New Jersey Devils player of all time: 2. Scott Stevens

We’ve made it to The Captain. Scott Stevens was everything you want from a defenseman in the late 90s and early 2000s. He had offensive abilities that made him a threat every time he had the puck on his stick. Despite Niedermayer being on the Devils, Stevens owns three of the top seven seasons for points by a Devils defenseman. Dougie Hamilton came close, but Stevens still owns the top spot with 78 points in 1993-94.

Despite his offensive skills, Stevens will go down as probably the best hitter in the history of the game. Obviously, we’re looking at this with a different lens today, knowing what we know about concussions, but Stevens did what he was asked in the late 90s. It was his job to knock a guy’s head off. This was a player that completely changed his game multiple times. He could have adjusted his game to play in today’s style if need be.

Stevens was the captain for all three Devils championships. He wore that C with pride, and he exuded leadership at all-time. Whether it’s telling someone “you’re next,” making other players pay for dirty hits, or sending a message to star players, the Devils are the Devils because of Scott Stevens.

Stevens spent 13 seasons in New Jersey. In 956 games, he was everything. An offensive dynamo, the toughest guy to ever hit the ice, a star, and a leader were just some of the hats he had to wear. There is only one player more important to this franchise.

Greatest New Jersey Devils player of all time: 1. Martin Brodeur

The best. The GOAT. Everything this franchise needed and wanted. There is a good chance the New Jersey Devils would be playing in Nashville or Kansas City or Quebec if it wasn’t for Martin Brodeur. If the Devils took Trevor Kidd instead of Martin Brodeur, the Devils would be the laughing stock of the league. They might have some success with Scott Stevens and Scott Niedermayer. However, without this man between the pipes, the story of this franchise is completely different.

Martin Brodeur played for the Devils from 1992 to 2014. He’s won four Vezina Trophies, three Stanley Cups, five Jennings Trophies, and a Calder Trophy. He owns all of the records. Every important goalie record is his. He is the career leader in wins, shutouts, saves, and a litany of other records. Many of his records will never be touched. Not to sound old, but they don’t make him like Martin Brodeur anymore. Only Grant Fuhr has ever played more games in a season than Brodeur’s 78 in 2006-07.

It wasn’t a fluke either. He played at least 70 games 12 times in his career. He was incredibly durable. The Devils always knew they had everything they needed at the goaltender position. There wasn’t a need for a backup goalie. That player was there to collect a paycheck and learn from the best. Or, they were there to keep the guys entertained on the bench.

Brodeur is the best player in the history of the position, the best player to ever put on pads, and the best player in the history of the New Jersey Devils.