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.
#10 - KIRK MULLER: 1987-88 (80 games, 37 goals, 57 assists, 94 points, 114 penalty minutes)
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.
#9 - JOHN MACLEAN: 1989-90 (80 games, 41 goals, 38 assists, 79 points, 11 game-winning goals)
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.
#10 - KIRK MULLER: 1987-88 (80 games, 37 goals, 57 assists, 94 points, 114 penalty minutes)
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.
#9 - JOHN MACLEAN: 1989-90 (80 games, 41 goals, 38 assists, 79 points, 11 game-winning goals)
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.
