NHL Team Guide: New Jersey Devils
The New Jersey Devils were founded in 1974 as the Kansas City Scouts. They were one of two teams to join the NHL in 1974 (Washington was the other). Just two years later, the franchise moved to Colorado where it became the Rockies. In 1982, the team relocated to its present home of New Jersey and became the Devils.
The team’s fans watch New Jersey Devils game on MSG and MSG+ networks. National broadcasts are found on NBC and NBCSN. The Devils full schedule can be viewed on TV on these networks and fans can live stream games using the FOX Sports GO App or NHL.tv.
NHL Standings
New Jersey has made several division and conference moves since its original season in 1974-75. The Scouts were in the Smythe Division of the Campbell Conference with teams from the west and Midwest. When the franchise moved to New Jersey in 1982, they were moved to the Wales Conference, Patrick Division with other teams on the East Coast.
Today, the Devils play their NHL schedule as members of the Metropolitan Division and the Eastern Conference.
Championship History
New Jersey has advanced to the NHL playoffs 22 times in franchise history. The team has won nine division championships: 1996-97, 1997-98, 1998-99, 2000-01, 2002-03, 2005-06, 2006-07, 2008-09, and 2009-10. The Devils have advanced to the Eastern Conference finals seven times. New Jersey has won five conference titles.
Of those five trips to the Stanley Cup finals, New Jersey has brought home the Cup three times: 1994-95, 1999-00, and 2002-03.
Home of the Devils
New Jersey plays its home games at the Prudential Center in the state capital of Newark. When the team moved to the New Jersey, they played in East Rutherford but moved to Newark before the 2007-08 season. The Prudential Center, which opened in 2007, holds 16,514 fans for hockey games.
Best Devils
The Devils were well known for their defense and one of the best to play between the pipes for the franchise was goaltender Martin Brodeur. He played 21 of his 22 NHL seasons in New Jersey and was a member of all three Stanley Cup winners. He is the franchise’s all-time leader in regular season wins (691), shutouts (125), and games played (1,266). Brodeur is the only goalie in NHL history with eight 40-win seasons. He won the Vezina Trophy (top goaltender) four times, won the Calder Memorial Trophy (Rookie of the Year), and was a ten-time NHL All-Star.
Patrik Elias is the Devils all-time leading scorer with 1,025 points. His 408 goals and 617 assists are also tops in franchise history. Elias played his entire 20-year NHL career with the Devils. He still holds the Devils record for points in a season (96 in 2000-01) and most points in a playoff season (23 in 2001).
Defenseman Scott Niedermayer played 13 seasons with New Jersey and remains sixth on franchise’s all-time scoring list with 476 points. Neidermayer won the James Norris Trophy as the league’s top defenseman in 2003-04 and a Conn Smythe Trophy in 2007 as the MVP of the NHL playoffs.
Author: Dan Anderson