Second Team
Nico Hischier - Travis Zajac - Taylor Hall
Ken Daneyko - Brian Rafalski
G - Cory Schneider
Like Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier has been a wonderful player since being made the number-one overall pick. He is more defensive-minded but still puts up awesome offensive numbers as well.
Taylor Hall is the only player in the history of this great franchise to win the Hart Trophy as league MVP. While he was in New Jersey, he was one of the best players in the NHL.
Think of Travis Zajac as a diet version of Nico Hischier. He provided some offense while playing very well in all three zones with regularity. His loyalty to the franchise was unmatched. You could always count on him.
Ken Daneyko wasn’t playing in the 2000s long but it was long enough to include a championship, a Masterton Trophy, and retiring as a franchise icon. Brian Rafalski is well deserving of the second-team honor, considering that he played at an all-star level with this team for seven seasons.
As for the goaltender on the second team, it needs to be Cory Schneider. He had the impossible task of replacing Brodeur in the twilight of his legendary career. He was elite for quite a few seasons before leaving.
Some may consider a few honorable mentions like Andy Greene, Ilya Kovalchuk, Jesper Bratt, Dougie Hamilton, Scott Gomez, and Adam Henrique, but this feels like the group that most accurately depicts the best of the Devils this century.
When we do this again in 2050, the half-century team could look a lot different. Hopefully, more of the current Devils force their way on.