The New Jersey Devils are a team focused on the present season, looking to make back-to-back playoff appearances for the first time since 2009 and 2010. However, that doesn’t mean they won’t honor the past when the opportunity arises. The 90s and 00s were some of the best times for New Jersey Devils hockey and those players deserve the honors they receive.
We are, as of 2023, 20 years removed from the last time that the Devils won the Stanley Cup in 2003. That core that won it three times in nine years will always be celebrated. One member who deserves as much praise as anyone is Sergei Brylin.
Brylin played in the NHL for 13 years, and every single game was as a member of the New Jersey Devils. You hardly see players play for one team their entire career, but Brylin did just that.
As a member of the Devils, he played in 765 games, scoring 129 goals and recording 179 assists for 309 points. He was a depth player on a loaded team, but he was good enough to be one of the players who stuck around for all three Stanley Cup championships.
Sergei Brylin is one of the most important New Jersey Devils of all-time
Brylin stepped it up in the playoffs. In 109 postseason games, he scored 15 goals and had 19 assists for 34 points. He was a model of how a role player should be in the NHL if they want to be part of a championship core.
Everyone else who won all three Cups with New Jersey has their number retired. New Jersey isn’t going to retire Brylin’s number 18 but they did make a different special announcement on Tuesday.
To the man who epitomizes what it means to be a Devil, we salute you…#NJDevils | #MadeInJersey pic.twitter.com/r7Bsh8Swhf
— New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) November 21, 2023
New Jersey is going to make Brylin the second person in franchise history to make their Ring of Honor. This is tremendous news as most folks believe the Devils don’t win as much without depth players. He was the leader of that pack.
This is going to take place on January 20th, 2024. The Devils are going to be taking on the Dallas Stars in that game. Of course, the Stars are the team that Brylin and the Devils defeated for that second Stanley Cup championship in 2000.
This is going to be a great night of hockey as the current team loaded with stars honors one from the past. There are sure to be a lot of great former New Jersey players there to help them celebrate so it will be amazing for everyone involved.
Of course, Brylin spends his time now as an assistant coach for the team. He has a good grasp on this team and what they are now along with what they once were. Few people have cemented themselves with this team as much as him.
Brylin has deserved this honor for a long time and it is finally here. On that night, the Devils will salute Sarge on a great career. He was a huge part of the best times this franchise has ever had. Today’s players can only hope to reach that level of respect. A few of them just might.