New Jersey Devils

Lore & Background

The franchise was poor to mediocre in the eight years before moving to New Jersey, with only one playoff appearance and no winning seasons. The pattern continued during the first five years in New Jersey, with no playoff appearances and never finishing higher than fifth in a six-team division. Their fortunes began to turn around following the hiring of president and general manager Lou Lamoriello in 1987. Under Lamoriello's stewardship, the Devils made the playoffs all but three times between 1988 and 2012, including 13 berths in a row from 1997 to 2010, and finished with a winning record every season from 1992–93 to 2009–10. They have won the Atlantic Division regular season title nine times, most recently in 2009–10, before transferring to the newly created Metropolitan Division as part of the NHL's realignment in 2013. The Devils have reached the Stanley Cup Final five times, winning in 1994–95, 1999–2000 and 2002–03, and losing in 2000–01 and 2011–12. The Devils were known for their defense-first approach throughout their years of Cup contention, and were one of the teams credited with popularizing the neutral zone trap in the mid-1990s.

In Their Own Story

The arena hums with the electric silence of a tied game in double overtime. The ice is scarred from thirty minutes of play, the boards vibrating with the impact of desperate checks. A Capitals forward skates down the wing, eyes locked on the net where Martin Brodeur stands ready, his mask reflecting the harsh arena lights. He winds up for a slap shot, the sound echoing like thunder through the packed house. The puck flies, defying physics, and the crowd holds its breath as the goalie makes the save, sending the game into another period of uncertainty.

Reader's Guide

The Devils have a rivalry with their cross-Hudson River neighbor, the New York Rangers, as well as a rivalry with the Philadelphia Flyers. The Devils are one of three NHL teams in the New York metropolitan area; the others are the Rangers and the New York Islanders. The Devils are one of four major professional sports teams that play their home games in New Jersey; the others are the National Football League's New York Giants and New York Jets, and the New York Red Bulls of Major League Soccer. Since the relocation of the New Jersey Nets to Brooklyn in 2012, the Devils have been the only major league team in any sport to bill themselves as solely representing the state of New Jersey.

Did You Know?

• The Devils' name is derived from the legendary Jersey Devil creature, a creature that allegedly inhabited the Pine Barrens of South Jersey.
• The franchise began as the Kansas City Scouts in 1974, moved to Denver as the Colorado Rockies in 1976, and relocated to New Jersey in 1982.
• The Devils won the Stanley Cup in 1994–95, 1999–2000, and 2002–03.
• Only 334 fans attended a game on January 22, 1987, due to a blizzard; they were recognized as the '334 Club'.