New Jersey Devils: Who Could Be In The Ring Of Honor Next
The recent induction of Sergei Brylin into the New Jersey Devils Ring of Honor creates an opportunity for under-appreciated players and personnel of the past to finally get recognition.
The clock struck zeros on the jumbotron and boos poured down from all those who were gluttons for punishment. The New Jersey Devils got trounced 6-2 by the Dallas Stars on Saturday night. Now, the sky seems to be falling in Newark. However, the night didn't start this way. The night started with celebrating one of the most under-appreciated and beloved Devils, Sergei Brylin.
Brylin, better known as "Sarge," is just the second member inducted into the team's Ring of Honor. Seven years ago, Dr. John J. McMullen, the man responsible for bringing the club to New Jersey, was the inaugural member. After being put on ice for six years until this past weekend, the Ring of Honor is a great way to immortalize some Devils greats who don't necessarily deserve a jersey retirement.
Despite just 41 years of existence, the Devils have a long and rich history. Throughout those years, many players, coaches, and management played a hand in winning three Stanley Cups. If the organization decides to add more people to the Ring of Honor, there are plenty of worthy options.
Lou Lamoriello
Despite him still chugging along as the GM for the New York Islanders, Lou Lamoriello will forever be a Devil—the man who orchestrated it all and brought all three Stanley Cups to the Garden State. The list of achievements that he accomplished since being named team president and general manager back in 1987 is as long as a CVS receipt. While it was dicey at the tail end of his tenure, Lamoriello's drafting and roster construction were second to none and are why he is regarded as one of the greatest team builders in NHL history. It remains to be seen how much longer the 81-year-old decides to keep working, but the moment he retires, he should begin writing his Devils Ring of Honor speech.
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.
Glenn "Chico" Resch
There may not be a player more beloved by the Devils fans and organization than Glenn Resch. "Chico" as he's better known, had an eight-year run with the New York Islanders before coming over to the then Colorado Rockies. However, Resch stayed with the team during their relocation to New Jersey and became one of the main faces on terrible teams. While his time with the team wasn't particularly pretty, his career as the Devils color commentator endeared him to the fans. Chico was the right-hand man to legendary commentator Doc Emrick, and the two of them brought their humor and insight into the fan's living rooms for years. Whether it was Chico Eats or his banter with Doc, Chico always found a way to make the games exciting to watch. After a brief retirement, he now brings his boisterous personality to the Devils radio broadcast. Chico's impact on Devils fans spans decades, and while his time as a player might not make him an ideal Ring of Honor candidate, his work on the broadcast spans generations. And for that, Chico deserves to be recognized.
Jason Arnott
His time as a Devil was relatively short-lived, but there's no bigger moment in franchise history than Jason Arnott's Stanley Cup-clinching goal in 2000. In his 364 games as a New Jersey Devil, Arnott scored 245 points across six seasons. In his four postseason appearances with the team, he scored 41 points in 58 games. Arnott was a great player for the Devils during his time here, but there is no sugarcoating that a Ring of Honor induction would be because of that goal. Even if that's the case, there's nothing wrong with that. You can't write the story of the New Jersey Devils without Jason Arnott and the 2000 Stanley Cup. While yes there are more deserving players, that single-goal stands as the biggest in franchise history.
Travis Zajac
Countless players and coaches from the Stanley Cup era are deserving to be in the Ring of Honor, but there are so few from the current generation that do. One, however, is Travis Zajac. He was never a captain or a big point producer, but he exemplified what it meant to be a New Jersey Devil. Zajac played 1,024 games across 15 seasons and is only the fourth player to play over 1,000 games for the franchise. He was a consummate professional throughout his career, making his mark as one of the most underrated defensive forwards in the NHL. The former first-round pick was no slouch in the offensive end either. He had eight 40+ point seasons and a career-high 67 points in 2009-10. Zajac was a player who never got the respect he deserved as a shutdown center and was a catalyst for the Devils in their run to the Stanley Cup Final in 2012.
Adam Henrique
Purely from a sentimental perspective, Adam Henrique could be an admission into the Ring of Honor. He was one of the most beloved players in recent memory, and his series-clinching goals against the Florida Panthers and, specifically, the New York Rangers are some of the greatest moments in Devils history. The 33-year-old is still a solid NHLer, but if the Devils go another six years before adding someone, a then 39-year-old Henrique may be retired. This selection is certainly a stretch, and he's had the smallest of impact over his career compared to everyone else, but would people have a problem with it? The moment he scored that goal against the Rangers, it was etched in stone that this fanbase would forever love him, but his contributions to the community and how he embraced Devils fans are the cherry on top. Henrique wouldn't be the first choice, but hopefully, down the line, the organization will reward him in some capacity.
feed