The New Jersey Devils have one of the most iconic names in all of sports. Of course, it’s worth noting that the name has nothing to do with invoking the prince of darkness. The name is rooted in local mythology and lore. The legendary creature lurking in the Pine Barrens has become an inseparable part of New Jersey folklore.
That’s why it’s fascinating to think that the Devils might have never been “Devils” to begin with.
New Jersey got its NHL franchise following the demise of the Colorado Rockies. If that seems strange, it’s because the NHL went through a strange shuffle of franchises as part of its expansion during the 1970s. The league granted expansion teams across the United States, but several folded and relocated following a handful of underwhelming seasons.
That was the case of the Kansas City Scouts. The Scouts only survived a couple of seasons after entering the league in 1974, before moving to Denver. The arrival of NHL hockey in Denver was promising. Unfortunately, the Rockies were awful. They made the playoffs once, but it just didn’t work out in Denver.
An ownership group in New Jersey, which had a brand-spanking new arena in the Meadowlands, bought the Rockies and moved them east. Along with the franchise came the name.
So, could the “New Jersey Rockies” ever have been a thing?
The initial plan was to call the new New Jersey-based franchise something like the “Meadowlanders” or “Americans”. Americans wasn’t bad, but Meadowlanders? It was a good thing that a fan vote rescued the team and led to the Devils becoming a mainstay in the NHL.
But there is reason to believe that keeping the “Rockies” moniker might have just worked out.
Devils might have worked as Rockies
It’s hardly unusual for relocating teams to keep their original names despite not having any connection to their new digs.
Perhaps the best example is the Los Angeles Lakers. The NBA franchise was originally located in Minnesota, with the name being a reference to the many lakes in the state. California has its share of lakes, but Los Angeles isn’t exactly known for its lakes. Still, the name worked.
Similarly, the Brooklyn “Trolley Dodgers” took their very iconic New York identity to California, becoming the Los Angeles Dodgers. The name stuck and is part of the heritage attached to Major League Baseball. Another example is the Utah Jazz, which started in New Orleans and clearly had a connection to the culture of Louisiana.
With such examples, the New Jersey Rockies might have worked. It would have certainly been weird at first, but fans would have gotten used to it over time.
In the end, choosing “Devils” was the best way to go. The Rockies, like the Scouts before them, were awful teams. Rebranding the franchise with a local flavor was the right move.
Incidentally, the Colorado Rockies trademark lapsed over the years. The identity was subsequently adopted by the expansion MLB franchise in 1993. That’s why it’s pretty safe to say the Rockies won’t be returning to the NHL anytime soon.
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