Here at Down Goes Avery, I used to have exclusive access to several top secret documents and confidential information surrounding the Devils and the NHL. It's been a while, but with Martin Brodeur Night quickly approaching, I decided I should deploy my top agents and find a transcript of Marty's speech. Low and behold, my agents did not let me down and I am posting the speech for all of you to read.* *Disclaimer: None of this should be takentooseriously.
Martin Brodeur, pictured above, holds several New Jersey Devils franchise records,
including most wins by a goaltender to leave the team via free agency. Photo credit: MoreThanAFan.net
NEW JERSEY DEVILS vs. EDMONTON OILERS -- February 9th, 2016
My Jersey Retirement Speech - Final Draft
First of all, thank
you fans and to the New Jersey Devils organization for honoring me on this
monumental night, even though I didn’t recognize anyone in the front office
when I walked in here this morning. I
also want to thank the St. Louis Blues for letting me take the night off. There comes a point in every player’s career
where he realizes it’s time to retire; luckily for me, I only realized it two
years late. There have been times when I
regret retiring, including last weekend, when I realized that I had more points
than some of this year’s All-Stars, but for the most part, I am enjoying my new
life. It took some time adjusting to my
new role, especially every time we get a new delivery of pucks to the arena, I
have to remind myself not to stop them, and also not having 17,000 people
shouting your name every night, but hey, sometimes Doug Armstrong shouting at
me can be louder than 17,000 people!
Hello. It's been a while. Things are much different than they were when I did this blog thing regularly, and that isn't exactly a good thing. Well anyway, that was then and this is now and right now, the New Jersey Devils are going through a coaching change...again. By the time I finish typing this, they may have already named the successor to Peter DeBoer, but if not, perhaps this will be worth a few moments of your time.
...
You're still here. The Devils haven't hired a new coach yet? Okay then.
So the DeBoer era is over, much to the delight of I would estimate a fairly significant majority of Devils fans, yet I cannot help but feeling that this is an unfair reflection of DeBoer's time in New Jersey. By Lou Lamoriello's standards, DeBoer stuck around for quite some time. It is hard to imagine any coach surviving as long as DeBoer did after missing the playoffs in back-to-back seasons and on their way to a third straight season of golfing in April, but he has and there is something to be said for that.
Hello. My name is Tony (just kidding, my real name is Down Goes Avery). This might be your first time visiting this site, or you may have followed along over the past three seasons when I used to blog regularly. I have returned from my blogging hibernation, at least for now to bring you a look at some of the new faces on the Devils, and a glimpse at their transition from last season to this season. We'll see how this goes and maybe I'll even do another post in the near future. Thanks for stopping by!
NorthJersey.com
Every time I see a picture of Jagr in a Devils jersey, I think "uh, yep, that's photoshopped."
When I realize I'm wrong, I then wonder why this couldn't have happened 10 years ago.
Cory Schneider
CBS New York
Previous team: Vancouver Canucks
How he was acquired: Stolen Trade from Canucks
Transition to the Devils: Has essentially gone from backing up a well-known goalie from Montreal in Vancouver to backing up an even better known goalie from Montreal in New Jersey.
Season forecast: Will likely spend the season wondering why Devils players don't cringe every time someone says the word "playoffs."
Damien Brunner
Previous team: Detroit Red Wings
Yahoo Sports
How he was acquired: Signed from tryout
Transition to the Devils: Goes from the team with the most playoff success over the last 20 years in the Western Conference to the team with the most playoff success over the last 20 years in the Eastern Conference.
Season forecast: Will perform well, and will enjoy city life this year more than last year, now being in Newark.
Rostislav Olesz
Sport Aktuane
Previous team: Chicago Blackhawks/AHL
How he was acquired: Signed through free agency
Transition to the Devils: Once again coached by Pete DeBoer, as he was in Florida, becoming the 349th (a lot) player to come to the Devils after previously playing for DeBoer.
Season forecast: Is almost guaranteed to be at least the fourth best Czech-born player on the Devils this season.
I think this is worth me coming out of my blogging hibernation: 2011 Devils' 4th round draft pick Reid Boucher is absolutely tearing up the Ontario Hockey League this season. Even without teammates like Yakupov and Galchenyuk anymore, as they've moved on to the NHL, Reid Boucher is on the verge of breaking the Sarnia Sting's single-season goal scoring record. Who holds that record? Steven Stamkos. Not to drop names or anything. I spent some time on YouTube trying to gather some footage of Boucher in action, and I came up with 19 of his 22 million goals with Sarnia.* Some are pretty, some aren't. All I know is that this kid loves to score goals.
This week is the week that the Red Wings and Maple Leafs will announce their rosters for the 2013 alumni game during the Winter Classic weekend. Now, as outrageous as this may seem, it is possible for the Devils to be a part of a Winter Classic someday. So, I got to thinking: if the Devils were a part of that weekend, who would play in the alumni game for them?
Adam Henrique, Adam Larsson and Jacob Josefson are three of the most logical choices, since by the time the Devils get picked for a Winter Classic, they'll be the only ones still able to skate.
*Last year, the Flyers had 17 forwards, 9 defensemen, 3 goalies, 3 coaches and 3 ambassadors on their alumni roster.
Let's start with the obvious choices. In goal, it'll be Chris Terreri and Chico Resch. Those two are second and third on the Devils' all-time games played list for goaltenders. Which reminds me, if Terreri and Resch are second and third, there must be a first. ... Oh, right. Brodeur. Yeah, I guess he can come if he wants. He's been a pretty solid goalie over the years, I'd say.
Obviously Brodeur is a lock to be the primary goalie for the Devils. Marty is the NHL's all-time leader in games played for a goalie, wins, losses, shutouts, minutes, playoff shutouts, plus he's got 4 Vezina trophies, 5 Jennings trophies, a Calder trophy, 3 Stanley Cup rings, a couple Olympic gold medals and he's scored two goals.
After Brodeur, there would a battle for second between Terreri and Resch, but since the alumni roster allows for three goalies, both of them would probably make it. Terreri was Marty's backup during the 1995 Cup run and well, Chico is Chico. Unless you really like Yann Danis (and no, Johan Hedberg has not played long enough for the Devils).
Read on for my Devils-Flyers Kings Stanley Cup Finals preview.
Well, here we are, seven weeks into the NHL playoffs. It's Memorial Day weekend and the Devils are still playing hockey. I don't think either team's fan base truly expected to be here right now, but hey, I'm not complaining.
How they got there:
If you're a Devils fan, you know the story by now. Peter DeBoer was hired by Lou Lamoriello to help the Devils "evolve" into a more aggressive offensive team and have a chance to win the franchise's fourth Stanley Cup championship. There were growing pains early on, and the team battled several key injuries throughout the season, but the Devils surged out of the All-Star break and finished the regular season on a six-game winning streak.
The Devils battled hard and squeezed out of the first round against Florida in the second overtime of the series' seventh game. After few thought the Devils would stand any chance against the "mighty" Flyers, they simply destroyed the Flyers in every part of the game and knocked them out in five games. The Rangers presented a more difficult task, but the Devils eventually got to Henrik Lundqvist and the shot-blocking Rangers' defensemen and eliminated the East's top seeded team 63 seconds into overtime in Game 6.
With heroics from Adam Henrique in rounds one and three, the Devils advance to their fifth Stanley Cup Final in franchise history and first since 2003, when they beat Anaheim in seven games. Four more wins would give the Devils their fourth Stanley Cup championship since the spring of 1995.
By the way, have I mentioned how awesome this moment is yet?
As we continue to wait for the start of the 2012 Eastern Conference Finals between the Devils and...someone, I decided to take my ten favorite Devils moments from their six previous Conference Finals appearances and put together the 18th edition of the DGA Top 10 Video Special.
#10 - "Have another doughnut"
The Devils were in the midst of their first ever playoff appearance in the spring of 1988. After barely making the playoffs on the regular season's final day, the Devils won two rounds and found themselves in the Conference Finals against the Boston Bruins. Game 3 didn't go so well for the Devils, but this is still one of the most memorable moments in franchise history, courtesy of Jim Schoenfeld.
#9 - "We're the DEVILS!!!"
This moment didn't occur on the ice, but it's a famous moment nonetheless. During the 1994 Conference Finals, Seinfeld featured Elaine's boyfriend David Puddy decked out in Devils gear, and he properly ticked off his Ranger fan friends.
#8 - Claude Lemieux's 43728th goal of the series
Well, I exaggerated a bit, but Claude Lemieux had arguably the best single playoff season of any Devil in history. With the Devils and Flyers tied in the series and Game 5 late in the third period, Lemieux beat Ron Hextall five-hole. A Devil beat a Flyers goalie five-hole...I guess some things never change.
So...are there any story-lines heading into this series?
So, it’s finally that time of year. It’s time for the Stanley Cup playoffs. As a Devils fan, I’m both excited and nervous at the same time. The Devils might only be the 6th seed in the Eastern Conference, but they won 48 regular season games and picked up 102 points along the way. I realize that this might be Martin Brodeur’s last shot at a fourth Stanley Cup Championship. Even if Marty does play next season, there’s no guarantee that he’ll be able to carry a team through the playoffs. He can do that this year, and hopefully the Devils will benefit from that.
Yet at the same time, we can’t help but remember the past and the failures of the Devils since the Prudential Center opened in the fall of 2007. In the spring of 2008, the Devils were the #4 seed, but won just one of eight meetings against their eventual first round opponent, the New York Rangers, and that win came in a shootout. The Devils lasted just five games that spring. In the spring of ’09, as the 3rd seed, the Devils played the series from hell against the Hurricanes, but were only 1-3 against Carolina that season. As the 2nd seed in 2010, they faced the Flyers, who they were 1-5 against, and lost to them. This season, there are no excuses. This is a very good Devils team, and they’re facing, well, let’s be honest: the worst team in the playoffs.
Before I talk about any negative stats regarding the Panthers, I think congratulations are in order. After over a decade of failure and losing, the Panthers finally made it back to the playoffs and won their first-ever division title in the process. They didn’t make life easy for their fans, but they definitely took a step in the right direction this season, even if they lose to the Devils in round one of the playoffs.
Now, let’s look at the raw numbers: the Florida Panthers won just 38 of 82 games. They lost 18 games in overtime/shootout this season. That essentially is like winning 9 extra games (in terms of points). The Panthers are limping into the playoffs. Despite their season finale, a 4-1 win over Carolina, they went just 2-3-5 in their last 10 games. Their goal differential is a miserable minus-24 (203 goals for, 227 goals against).
But that doesn’t mean this won’t be a tough series for the Devils. Make no mistake: it will be a very difficult series. First of all, the Devils had just one “ROW” (regulation/overtime wins) over Florida in the regular season. They lost two and won the other in a shootout. Their most recent matchup was a 3-1 loss on February 11th, a game in which the Panthers led for most of the game, and simply trapped the Devils to sleep. They can clog the neutral zone, force turnovers and score off their turnovers.
Ilya Kovalchuk drills Keaton Ellerby. 1 of 6 hits #17 on 12/13/11.
There will be several keys to this series. First of all, the Devils will need to be patient. They can’t get frustrated with the Panthers’ defense. They’ll need to be smart, and not force the issue with the trap, because when you do that, you turn the puck over and you fall right into the…well, trap that the opposition is trying to frustrate you into. If the Devils play smart and dump the puck in when the Panthers have the neutral zone clogged up, they’ll find success, because the Devils can play the dump-and-chase game. They’re not the 1995 Red Wings, who had absolutely no answer to the trap.
The second key to the game will be to contain the Panthers’ top line. Let’s face it: the Panthers’ fate will be determined by how their top line of Fleischmann-Weiss-Versteeg plays. That line had success against the Devils in the regular season, so they’ll have to find an answer for them in the playoffs. Pete DeBoer has several options. He can try to match offense for offense, and play Zajac’s line against Weiss’ line and simply trade scoring chances with them; he can match Elias’ line, with veteran experience and Elias’ two-way ability; or he could even match the third line, with Ponikarovsky-Henrique-Clarkson as a “checking” line to try to shut down the Weiss line. DeBoer has tried different things throughout the season. Sometimes he matches top line against top line and sometimes he tries to shut down the opposition.
This is the second of six installments of DGA's "Re-living the Cup" blog series leading up to the 2012 Stanley Cup playoffs. This installment features recaps of the third round of the Devils' path to the Cup in 1995, which was a defeat of Philadelphia in the conference final.
PART TWO: Conference Finals of 1995
Following defeats of Boston and Pittsburgh, each in five games, the Devils travelled down the Turnpike to Philadelphia for a showdown with the rival Flyers. The Flyers had yet to lose a playoff game at home in 1995, but Martin Brodeur and the Devils were determined to change that. As they did against the Bruins in round one, the Devils struck early and often in Game 1 and Brodeur allowed nothing to the Flyers. Bill Guerin scored a pair of goals, and the Devils were up 3-0 after two periods. Martin Brodeur was less than two minutes away from his fourth shutout of the playoffs when Craig MacTavish broke the goose egg, but the Devils held on easily to win 4-1.
"Hey, Boulton, we shoot at THAT net this period..."
This afternoon, the Devils held their annual team awards, which as always, was rigged. Zach Parise won team MVP (umm...), Adam Henrique and Bryce Salvador tied for unsung hero and Johan Hedberg won the Player's Player award for the 179th straight year. So I'm here to fix all this rigging nonsense. Here's the uncensored version of the Devils' 2011-12 team awards.
Team MVP Candidates:
Peter Harrold - Without him, the Devils would have to let Adam Larsson play, and according to Pete DeBoer, that's a bad thing. Plus, Peter (Harrold) has so much experience winning in Los Angeles.
Mattias Tedenby - While he only lasted 43 games this season, he managed to pick up a -15...plus/minus rating (not golf score). The Devils' shortest player's lack of offensive production made sure that the Devils didn't have a third line that could score until the All-Star break.
Kurtis Foster - Although he was terrible in his own end, the Devils' power play's best stretch of the season came with Foster at the point, which according to someone, somewhere, makes him better than Marek Zidlicky.
Winner: Harrold. Why? Well, for starters, he's the only one of the three left on the Devils' NHL roster...
The playoffs are just around the corner, which means that the playoffs are about to start, most Canadian teams are eliminated and there's no more shootouts! Before the 2012 playoffs get under way, I wanted to take a look at each of the three Devils Stanley Cup runs. Hopefully, this will get Devils fans in a playoff state of mind. All videos in these posts are courtesy of YouTube user McKay4429061.
PART ONE: 1995 New Jersey Devils Season in Review (plus first two rounds of the playoffs)
Coming off a 47-25-12 season in 1993-94, the Devils made a statement to the rest of the league that they were no longer the "Mickey Mouse organization" that Wayne Gretzky infamously named them in the early 1980s. The Devils entering 1993-94 having made the playoffs in six of the past seven seasons, but after the famous Game 7 loss to the Rangers in the Eastern Conference Finals, it was time for the Devils to take the next step. They finished second in goals for (306) and second in goals against (220) in 1993-94, so they had become a complete team, with youngster Martin Brodeur in net.
On Friday, Zach Parise scored his second career NHL hat trick as the Devils slammed the Capitals, 5-0. By my count, that's the 9th hat trick by a Devil since the 2004-05 lockout, which is one short of the necessary 10 for a DGA Top 10 Video Special, so I chose not to do one.
...
Just kidding. Actually, I cheated. Thanks to Gordie Howe, there's another kind of hat trick: the Gordie Howe hat trick. I used the two Gordie Howe hat tricks this season and added the other 9 Devils hat tricks since the lockout (which is actually 11 videos), and here we go: the 17th Top 10 Video Special in the series. Enjoy (also enjoy my attempts at awful titles for some of the hat tricks).
#10: Henrique and Kovy score, assist and scrap
On January 10th, 2012, the Devils played a miserable game in Calgary. They lost 6-3, but at least Adam Henrique had a coming out party...of sorts.
On February 4th, 2012, Ilya Kovalchuk duplicated the feat, except Kovy's fight was much more dramatic.
#9: Maddog Rags on New York
This is the lone playoff hat trick of the countdown. It comes against the New York Rangers, as the Devils went on to sweep the Rangers and capped off their 15-game winning streak.
#8: Gio's lone trick caps crazy game with the Leafs
Unfortunately, video footage of Brian Gionta's third goal of the hat trick exists, but he made it count, as he tied the game at 6. The Devils won, 7-6 in overtime.
#7: Pando scores three...in one game!
Jay Pandolfo scores the first hat trick in Prudential Center history. It's his only career hat trick and it came in a 6-1 win over Tampa Bay. It came on Halloween, 2007.
Ilya Kovalchuk's unbelievable season thus far got me thinking about Devils of the past. Sure, we all know that no Devil has ever reached 50 goals or 100 points in a single season, but what about the greatest individual seasons that have occured? I put together a list of my Top 10, with a small sample of their excellence from either that season or a season close to it. Here's what I came up with. It's the 16th DGA Top 10 Special in the history of DGA.
Before Zach Parise, the Devils had another American-born captain that wore #9. Kirk Muller registered a career-high 94 points in 1987-88 (which is also Parise's career-high in points to date), and helped lead the Devils to their first-ever playoff birth in the spring of 1988.
1989-90 wasn't MacLean's best offensive season, although it was his second of three consecutive 40-goal seasons. But having used Muller's 1987-88 season, I needed an excuse to show MacLean's goal that sent the Devils to the playoffs for the first time in 1988. Also, MacLean set the Devils record with 11 game-winning goals in 1989-90. Since I couldn't find a goal from that season, enjoy this one.
#8 - SCOTT GOMEZ: 2005-06 (82 games, 33 goals, 51 assists, 84 points, 244 shots on goal)
Although 2005-06 will be remembered for Brian Gionta's epic season, it's fair to say that Gio doesn't score 48 goals without the help of his center, Scott Gomez. This was the prime of the EGG line, and coming out of the lockout, it was the line that carried the Devils through a 15-game winning streak at the end of the regular season and past the Rangers in round 1 of the playoffs. Also, this is proof that Scott Gomez hasn't always been useless.
"Hey, remember when we played in New Jersey? Yeah, me neither."
As many players have moved on from New Jersey in their careers, Devils fans never forget them. That's why, when the players return to New Jersey, we don't forget what they did and we usually give them some kind of acknowledgement. Sometimes we cheer, sometimes we boo, and other times we didn't care enough about the guy to give a crap. On Thursday, Jamie Langenbrunner and Jason Arnott (if he's healthy) will return to New Jersey. Let's take a look at past Devils and how they were treated (or should have been treated) when they returned to New Jersey.
Brian Gionta - Gio signed a free agent contract with Montreal, and when he came back to New Jersey for the first time, Devils fans tried to cheer him when he was on the ice, but nobody could find him.
Scott Gomez - Gomer committed the unthinkable crime: he left New Jersey to sign a free agent contract with the rival Rangers. Devils fans booed him mercilessly and have successfully laid the Curse of the Devils on him. He no longer possesses the ability to score goals. Job well done, Devils fans.
John Madden - When Madden returned to New Jersey with Minnesota, Devils fans wanted to give him an ovation, but the glare of his Stanley Cup ring from Chicago blinded many fans.
Brendan Shanahan - Shanahan's return to New Jersey was with St. Louis in 1991. Devils fans cheered him and thanked him, because he became the franchise's MVP...for leaving.
Tom Kurvers - Kurvers was forever cheered and thanked, similarly to how Shanahan was honored, when he returned to New Jersey.
Scott Clemmensen - Clemmer saved the Devils' season in 2008-09 when Martin Brodeur went down, but when he returned with the Panthers, his goals against average was about 5.00, so we laughed. And then cheered. Then we laughed again.
Ken Daneyko knows how Scott Niedermayer felt when #27 was raised to the rafters.
Ken Daneyko's name will forever be synonymous with the Devils. Nicknamed "Mr. Devil," #3 spent all of his 20 seasons as an NHL player with the Devils. He played 1,283 regular season games in New Jersey, the most games ever played by a defenseman with one organization, as well as 175 playoff games, winning three Stanley Cups in the process. He now adds "Q&A with Down Goes Avery" to his resume...okay, maybe not, but he was generous enough to answer some questions I had for him. Enjoy a very special Q&A with #3.
Q: First off, your playing career: Which coach would say had the greatest influence on you as a player?
The most influential coach I had was Tom McVie early on, and then Jauque Lemaire and Larry Robinson.
Q: Which was your favorite/least favorite visiting arena to play in? Which had the best atmosphere?
My favorite was Chicago. Least favorite: the old Capitals arena and best atmosphere was Montreal.
Q: You're one of very few players who was fortunate enough to spend his entire playing career with one organization and had great success with that organization. What does it mean to you to spend your entire playing career with the Devils?
It was very important to me to start and play with one team. I was very loyal as the organization was to me, so it meant a lot to stay my whole career. I had no interests of going anywhere else.
Q: For several years now, you and Scott Stevens have been the only two players that Devils management have honored by retiring your numbers. What does it mean to you to see #3 in the rafters every time you're at the Prudential Center?
It's very humbling to see my number in the rafters, and I'm extremely honored. I think nights like that are as important to the fans as the player, because of their great support.
Q: As you know, #27 now joins #3 and #4 in the rafters. What was your reaction when you heard that the Devils decided it was time to retire Scott Niedermayer's #27?
I feel very fortunate to have played with one of the best defenseman of all time. He deserves this special honor and I was very excited for him and the organization when they announced his number going up.
Q: The NHL has changed a lot over the past few seasons. How do you think, as a player, would be different if you played in today's NHL versus the pre-lockout NHL?
It has changed and I, along with a lot of players from the past, would have to adjust to the new rules, but I felt no matter which way the game was played, players from the past, including myself, would do it.
Q: Since your retirement, the Devils have not been back to the Eastern Conference Finals or beyond, which is actually the longest stretch in franchise history without such a playoff run. Why do you think the Devils have been unable to win in the playoffs in recent years? What needs to be done for the Devils to make another Stanley Cup run?
It's very tough to win as we all know, and you cherish those great teams we had; I think because we had such a great defense and Marty was a big reason we were successful. I don't really have a great answer to what needs to be done except play with heart and passion and develop within the system. They need a little more depth to win.
Q: Since the 2005 lockout, the Devils seem to have moved away from each defensive pairing having a puck mover and a stay-at-home defenseman. Why do you think that model has changed? Is it all about the personnel or has the effectiveness of the Devils' old system declined in today's NHL?
I think that's because they just don't have the personnel we had back there. Not many teams do. You can't duplicate something if you don't have Scott Stevens,Scott Niedermeyer etc., so you have to find different options.
Q: Some fans believe that NHL referees have held a grudge against the Devils due to the infamous incidents of Jim Schoenfeld and Robbie Ftorek. Did you ever feel that refs were being unfair to the Devils? Do you think there's any truth to that today?
I don't really think refs hold a grudge, maybe for a game or two after, that's it.
Q: Do you think the Devils made the right decision by putting Adam Larsson right into the NHL lineup or do you think he should have developed in Albany for a season?
I believe Larsson was ready now, but because the D isn't as deep gave him a better opportunity right away.
Q: Now the big question: How important do you think it is for the Devils to re-sign Zach Parise?
They will do everything they can to re-sign Zach. He is the heart and soul [of the Devils], but let's not forget and the business side too: so he has to want to be here as well.
Q: What's the best part of your job with MSG since you retired as a player?
Just still being involved in the game, talking hockey, which i'm so passionate about.
Q: Finally, have you ever thought about another hockey-related job, such as coaching or scouting?
The only thing that interests me is developing a team similar to a GM or along the line of President of an organization, which you're involved with a little bit of everything from player decisions to fan interaction!
Thanks again to Ken Daneyko for taking the time to do this! It's nothing short of an honor to have such an icon of the Devils answer these questions.
Every news piece out of the NHL lately seems negative. There's either someone getting suspended, a coach getting fired or a player suffering a concussion. Because of that, the fact that I haven't had a post dedicated to the Devils in a while and Scott Niedermayer Night this Friday, I decided that now would be a good time for the 14th DGA Top 10 Video Special in the series: Scott Niedermayer's Greatest Moments as a New Jersey Devil. Scotty was an amazing skater and playoff hero. This was by far the easiest video special I've ever put together. Enjoy.
#10 - OFF THE FACE-OFF
I included this one because of the fact it's a Devils defenseman scoring a power play goal against the New York Rangers. That makes it special.
#9 - THE VERY FIRST GOAL
Scott Niedermayer scored 112 goals as a New Jersey Devil, and it all started with this one. Here's his first NHL goal, and a spectacular goal as well.
#8 - WELCOME TO PHILADELPHIA
The 2000 Eastern Conference Finals will always go down as one of the greatest playoff series in Devils history, and it all started with this Niedermayer goal, 55 seconds in to Game 1.
#7 - WIN ONE (or 400) FOR MARTY
As the Devils tried to clinch a playoff spot in the Spring of 2004, Scott Niedermayer scored this overtime winner that also turned out to be Martin Brodeur's 400th career win.
#6 - ONE IS GREATER THAN FIVE
Scott Niedermayer goes to work on 5 Boston Bruins, thus proving that quality is better than quantity.
#5 - "SCORE! MARSHALL! IN OVERTIME!"
One of Mike "Doc" Emrick's greatest calls in his career game in the 3rd overtime of Game 5 of the 2003 Eastern Conference Semi-Finals. Scott Niedermayer's shot ended up being jammed home by Grant Marshall and the Devils won the series, and eventually, the Stanley Cup.
#4 - IT ONLY TAKES THREE TO SCORE
After returning to the Devils in time for the 2000 Stanley Cup playoffs from a suspension, Scott Niedermayer put a rebound of John Madden's slapshot past Mike Vernon for a rare 3-on-5 short-handed goal that tied the game at 2!
#3 - THE UNSUNG HERO OF GAME 7
The unsung hero of Mike Rupp's game-winning Game 7 goal of the 2003 Stanley Cup Finals has to be Scott Niedermayer. Watch as he keeps the puck in the offensive zone and sends a wrister towards the net that Rupp is able to deflect through J.S. Giguere.
#2 - TONIGHT'S THE NIGHT
After a crushing loss in triple-overtime in Game 5, the Devils went to Dallas with a chance to win the Stanley Cup. Scott Niedermayer opened the scoring with a sweet short-handed goal.
#1 - WELCOME TO THE SHOW
Welcome to the Scott Niedermayer Show. During Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Finals in Detroit, a 21-year old Scott Niedermayer showed the world that a legendary career is just getting under way.
#27 joins #4 and #3 this Friday!
Thanks to McKay4429061 and 0zachNJDparise9 for uploading all of the classic Devils footage that they do on YouTube!
The 2010-11 New Jersey Devils' season was not one to remember in general, but there were bright spots, particularly the Devils' nine rookies who scored their first career goals in the NHL this season. Sit back, relax and enjoy the sixth Top 10 Special in DGA history, first Top 9 ever. *Note: You can watch the videos in countdown order or simply view it as a rolling playlist at the bottom of this post.
The Devils started the season 10-29-2, which was by far the worst record in the NHL. It was also a worse record than the Islanders, which is more embarassing. Since then, however, they've gone 15-1-2, cut their playoff deficit from 27 points to 10 and even have Scott Burnside believing that this team is for real. Okay, I admit it, Burnside never said such a thing. Here are some of my theories as to why the Devils are playing so much better now.
The threat of being traded - Jason Arnott was the most vocal member of the Devils saying he would waive his no-movement clause to be traded to a contender, but then he saw Jamie Langenbrunner get shipped to Dallas, and out of fear that he too might be traded to Dallas and be Langenbrunner's teammate again, he has changed his mind.
They're "Moose"ing not booing - Johan Hedberg has been an intrical part of the Devils' recent success, but it took a while for that to happen. There is a logical reason for this. Hedberg earned the nickname "Moose" while playing for Pittsburgh, reflecting on his Manitoba Moose days. Somehow, Hedberg forgot this and believed Devils fans were booing him and the team, and they played miserably. Insert Jacques Lemaire, who reminded Hedberg of the chants, and the Devils turned into the hottest team in the NHL.
The Sidney Crosby theory - Interestingly enough, the day Sidney Crosby went out with his concussion (Jan. 4th) is also the day the Devils started playing better. They lost twice to the Flyers, but less than a week later, the 15-1-2 run began. Part of this reasoning is that Gary Bettman has less time to give orders to the refs about how to ruin the Devils, because he had to spend more time caring for Crosby.
Put the player on waivers theory - Lou Lamoriello placed Brian Rolston and Anssi Salmela on waivers, because both players were struggling badly. No team claimed either, and now both players are magically playing like superstars, or well, at least up to their contracts. Tim Sestito was recently waived. Did I miss something? Did Ilya Kovalchuk get waived at some point?
The John MacLean conspiracy - Maybe coaching matters. Under John MacLean, the Devils were a completely random team that had no idea a game was going on. It looked more like the Winter Classic family skate than an NHL game most of the time, but to cover that up, MacLean had the Devils shoot from everywhere, and the Devils averaged more than 30 shots per game. Since then, Jacques Lemaire has re-instituted the neutral zone trap, with the threat of Lou Lamoriello's secret stash of jelly jars being available to him if the players didn't cooperate.
First round draft picks - Due to the rather insane Ilya Kovalchuk contract, the Devils are going to lose a first round draft pick in one of the next four seasons, but Gary Bettman was going to rig the draft, give the Devils the first overall pick, and then force Lou to lose the draft pick this year. Since that would be slightly embarassing, Lou Lamoriello decided not to tank this year.
Recent history comebacks - The last two Eastern conference champions have been Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, respectively. Both teams are Atlantic division teams that struggled miserably during the first half of the season, changed coaches, and made impressive runs to the Finals. New Jersey management must have felt that even at 10-29-2, the Devils could continue that tradition. Now all the Devils need to do is trade for Matt Cooke.
Attendance - The Devils have tried many different ways of trying to attract more fans to the Prudential Center. They even went to the extremes of building a $300 million arena, and lured the worst team in the NBA to play in it. This season, the Devils figured they'd tank the first half of the season, and then go on a historic run to the playoffs that would put the 1978 Yankees to shame. How does that sell tickets? Hmm, that's a good question.
The curse of Cam Janssen - The Devils have not won a playoff round since the trade of Cam Janssen. They really don't want that looming for one more year.
Incentives - John MacLean clearly didn't have the Devils motivated or inspired. Jacques Lemaire does. He offers everyone a box of doughnuts after each win, so even the suddenly injury-prone Martin Brodeur joins the fun. I'm not sure the long-term implications of this are smart, though.
New York City - Some Devils players are aware that Madison Square Garden is exactly 7 miles door-to-door from the Prudential Center. That also means New York City must be a similar distance. The players realize that by not allowing 7 goals per game, the games could end sooner, the post-game rants by the coaches will end sooner and the fear of having your car destroyed ends sooner...oh wait, that's only in Philly. Then they can go to Manhattan and find a place to eat...again.
Chico Resch - Devils goalies were getting sick of listening to Chico Resch going on endlessly about how he was a better goalie than them.
This may seem very pre-mature now, but I've taken Kovalchuk's top 10 moments as a Devil for 2 reasons: 1. Because he's had some great moments already, and 2. I haven't been able to come up with anything else. Here's the 2nd DGA post ever with video: (*Warning: this is not "funny"*)
10. Devils trade for Ilya Kovalchuk - The Devils aren't known for grabbing superstars, especially in mid-season trades, but for whatever reason, Lou Lamoriello felt adding Kovalchuk would be what the Devils needed. Well, it didn't work right away, and despite Gary Bettman trying everything he could to prevent the signing, Ilya signed with the Devils forever, or so it seems. I'm sure a few jars of jelly were tossed over the summer that was, but here's the trade to New Jersey.
9. The Great Rush - In game 1 of the playoffs against the Flyers last year, Ilya Kovalchuk took the game over, at least for one shift. I know the bottom line is, he didn't bury it, but this end-to-end rush gave Devils fans a preview of what the next 15 years could be like.
8. Fight with Phaneuf - It was the day after Christmas 2010, and nothing could go right for the Devils, or Ilya Kovalchuk, for that matter, since he had been slumping miserably, as the whole team had. Ilya finally showed his anger as he tangled with Dion Phaneuf.
7. Breaking out at MSG - While Kovy had experienced some success against the arch-rival NY Rangers early in his Devils career, the Devils hadn't. This time, things would be different. Unfortunately, few Devils fans were around by the end of the game, since everyone had already had a heart attack by then.
6. The Flower blooms - Some Devils fans thought this game was a classic, and while I don't agree with that, this goal is certainly one of the more memorable from Kovy's first year in New Jersey. The celebration speaks for itself. Fleury wasn't exactly thrilled after this one, either.
5. Breaking away against former team - On the final day of 2010, finally, Ilya and the Devils had a reason to celebrate: they won a game. This was the highlight of that game, and finally, for all the right reasons.
4. First win of the year - This is the first of three overtime goals for Ilya Kovalchuk in the 2010-11 season, and it was also John MacLean's first win as a head coach. 8 wins later, he'd be fired.
3. First goal as a Devil - Here's Kovalchuk's first goal as a Devil. Yes, as you'll hear Chico Resch point out, we all threw hats onto the ice after the goal.
2. Rebounding - Here's what happened the night before:
Knowing that, Kovalchuk found a way to make up for that blooper the night before.
1. Another OT goal from Toronto - This one is arguably the prettiest Kovalchuk goal since he came to New Jersey, and it came late in overtime against the Leafs. It was Jacques Lemaire's 600th career win as a head coach.
So there you have it. That's just the first 82 games of Kovalchuk's Devils career. He's got more than 14 years to add to that.
Come to think of it, I like doing top-10's. Feel free to comment not only on this, but suggest future top-10's I should feature on the blog, and yes, I already know what someone's thinking, top-10 bloopers. Well, go to the archives, I did that already. This is also an easy way to give me time to come up with something original.
*EDIT: Ilya Kovalchuk's Devils debut cannot be forgotten. Here's his first point as a Devil against Toronto.
here's the incredible finish of that hockey game:
Thanks to NHLVideo and DevilsHQ, most of the footage is from them on YouTube. One video is from Fel0096.
With the growing number of NHL players, and all professional and amateur athletes suffering from concussions, I thought it would be helpful if I offered advice to NHL players, helping them decide when to return to action after their injury has subsided.
- If you're name is Marc Savard, do not miraculously recover from your concussion because you see the Pittsburgh Penguins as your next opponent. Take the extra time to rest and hope that Shawn Thornton and Matt Cooke go at it.
- Now that Chris Pronger is back from his injury, you might want to reconsider speeding up your recovery with the Philadelphia Flyers on the upcoming schedule.
- If you happen to be David Booth, well, just keep your head up.
- Not to name names, but just because you've been injured with a concussion doesn't give you any special rights to complain to the men in stripes when you come back.
- Henrik Lundqvist is not a human punching bag. He does have feelings, and he'll let them out if you challenge him to.
- If you ever feel your symptoms coming back, run to Colin Campbell's office and claim that you were hit from a blindside angle by David Steckel.
- If you were recently suspended for injuring a Detroit Red Wing and you play for the Calgary Flames, and you can't reach Darryl Sutter, keep trying, he'll answer eventually. Jay Feaster won't last forever.
- If you play for the New Jersey Devils, battle through it. If you go down for a significant amount of time, you probably won't be able to get traded out of New Jersey.
- Unlike New Jersey, if you are a Toronto Maple Leaf, you will be taught to work for next year. They haven't needed to rush guys back for April in a while.
- If you happen to be in the Phoenix market and you notice that you aren't attracing much attention with your injury, it's nothing personal. Unless your known name is "BizNasty2point0," you probably aren't getting a lot of attention anyway.
- Having a concussion does not entitle you to free ice cream...just saying.
- There is a difference between missing the All-Star game due to a concussion and boycotting it...in case anyone was wondering.
- If you're Sidney Crosby, you might be under a great deal of pressure to get back into games from your buddy, Gary Bettman. Don't listen to him for 2 reasons: a) you'll get under his skin (again) and b) his ploy of injuring Evgeni Malkin just to get you back sooner shouldn't work. Remember, you have the Devils tonight.
- If you're a goalie, you're better off getting back ASAP. There's enough decent goalies that you might be out a job by time you get back.
- If you happen to be a player such as Alex Kovalev and you suffer a concussion, relax, the season's more than halfway done, and you won't have to worry about the playoffs anyway.
- Just because you're in a slump offensively doesn't mean you're automatically injured. Hey, you never know, you might come back and score 4 goals tonight...
- If you are missing the All-Star Game due to a concussion and your name is not Sidney Crosby, don't worry, nobody will miss you...or even notice.
*If you have something to say, positive, negative, somewhere in between, please let me know by commenting below, e-mailing me at DownGoesAvery@aol.com or by following me on Twitter (@DownGoesAvery). If you enjoyed this post, please subscribe to my posts on the right side of the main page. Thanks for reading the most popular blog on the web...that's about making fun of hockey players and subliminally attacking Sean Avery run by a Devils fan.
