John MacLean
The former sixth overall pick back in the 1983 NHL Draft, John MacLean was one of the New Jersey Devils' first stars. Throughout his 934 games with the team, he scored 701 points, second most in team history. And for all those goals and points, none may be bigger than his famous overtime goal against the Chicago Blackhawks, which clinched the organization's first-ever playoff birth. That moment alone has etched his name in Devils' lore and is a good enough reason to admit him to the Ring of Honor. MacLean's impact on the Devils should never go understated. He was one of the few shining lights for the team during their lean years in the 1980s. And while his short stint as head coach of the Devils back in 2010 wasn't pretty, it's nothing more than a blemish for a player who first personified what being a New Jersey Devil was.
Jacques Lemaire
The man behind the bench for the first Stanley Cup, Lemaire has rightfully earned his place at the top of the mantle of Devils history. During his first tenure in New Jersey, Lemaire made the playoffs five out of six years, finished first in the Atlantic Division twice, and won the Jack Adams trophy in 1994. Lemaire also had two brief stints with the Devils again later on in his career in 2009-10 and 2010-11. After coming in for a season in 2009, he led the Devils to another Atlantic Division title, as well as a playoff birth. The following season, he replaced John MacLean as head coach partway through the season and led the Devils on an improbable run up the standings but fell just shy of a playoff birth. Lemaire, along with the other Cup-winning coaches for the Devils, deserves his flowers for what he has done for the organization.