Devils Top 25

[Heat McManus]

I saw a Canucks top 25, and I'm bored. I've only been watching hockey since about 1992 so I didn't feel qualified to make up an adequate list that went before that. So here is....



Devils Top 25...since 1993

1. Scott Stevens
2. Martin Brodeur
3. Ken Daneyko
4. John MacLean
5. Scott Niedermayer
6. Bruce Driver
7. Claude Lemieux
8. Bobby Holik
9. Patrick Elias
10. Slava Fetisov
11. John Madden
12. Sergei Brylin
13. Scott Gomez
14. Petr Sykora
15. Randy McKay
16. Jason Arnott
17. Jay Pandolfo
18. Brian Gionta
19. Valeri Zelepukin
20. Colin White
21. Stephane Richer
22. Brian Rafalski
23. Jamie Langenbrunner
24. Alexander Mogilny
25. Bill Guerin

Click to read more...

 

[#66]

25 is alot so I'll do a top 10.
1. Martin Brodeur
2. Scott Stevens
3. John MacLean
4. Kirk Muller
5. Patrick Elias- When all is said and done he might be #2.
6. Scott Neidermeyer
7. Ken Daneyko
8. Bruce Driver
9. Pat Verbeek
10. Bobby Holik

 

[LadyByngJeanRatelle]

I saw a Canucks top 25, and I'm bored. I've only been watching hockey since about 1992 so I didn't feel qualified to make up an adequate list that went before that. So here is....



Devils Top 25...since 1993

1. Scott Stevens
2. Martin Brodeur
3. Ken Daneyko
4. John MacLean
5. Scott Niedermayer
6. Bruce Driver
7. Claude Lemieux
8. Bobby Holik
9. Patrick Elias
10. Slava Fetisov
11. John Madden
12. Sergei Brylin
13. Scott Gomez
14. Petr Sykora
15. Randy McKay
16. Jason Arnott
17. Jay Pandolfo
18. Brian Gionta
19. Valeri Zelepukin
20. Colin White
21. Stephane Richer
22. Brian Rafalski
23. Jamie Langenbrunner
24. Alexander Mogilny
25. Bill Guerin

How can Niedermayer not be third??

He's always been better than Daneyko, and he's done more than MacLean.

Three cups, norris, allstar, best no 2 in the league while playing b/h Stevens.

 

[Heat McManus]

How can Niedermayer not be third??

He's always been better than Daneyko, and he's done more than MacLean.

Three cups, norris, allstar, best no 2 in the league while playing b/h Stevens.

I put him there because he was always a Devils staple. He'd been on the team and played in every playoff game since their opening season (until he was scratched for a few in 03), i'm sure Niedermayer will end his career at no 3 for me though.

 

[DownFromNJ]

Gionta ahead of Rafalski?

 

[Classic Devil]

New Jersey Devils All-Time Team

Forwards
#10 Aaron Broten [1982-1990] - #9 Kirk Muller [1984-1991] - #12 Pat Verbeek [1982-1989]
#26 Patrik Elias [1995-2004] - #25 Jason Arnott [1997-2002] - #17 Petr Sykora [1995-2002]
#22 Claude Lemieux [1990-1995; 1999-2000] - #20 Scott Gomez [2000-2004] - #15 John MacLean [1983-1998]
#11 John Madden [1998-2004] - #16 Bobby Holik [1992-2002] - #21 Randy McKay [1991-2002]
#44 Stephane Richer [1991-1996; 2001-2002] - #19 Bobby Carpenter [1993-1999]

Defensemen
#4 Scott Stevens [1991-2004] - #28 Brian Rafalski [1999-2004]
#2 Viaschlav Fetisov [1989-1995] - #27 Scott Niedermayer [1991-2004]
#3 Ken Daneyko [1983-2003] - #23 Bruce Driver [1983-1995]
#6 Tommy Albelin [1988-1996; 2001-2004]

Goalies
#30 Martin Brodeur [1991-2004]
#35 Chris Terreri [1986-1996; 1998-2001]


Coach: Jacques Lemaire
Assistants: Pat Burns, Larry Robinson

Captain: Scott Stevens
Alternates: Bruce Driver, Kirk Muller

General Manager: Lou Lamoriello


Top Twenty-Five Devils Players of All-Time

1. Martin Brodeur
2. Scott Stevens
3. John MacLean
4. Scott Niedermayer
5. Patrik Elias
6. Ken Daneyko
7. Claude Lemieux
8. Bobby Holik
9. Kirk Muller
10. Bruce Driver
11. Aaron Broten
12. Pat Verbeek
13. Brian Rafalski
14. Randy McKay
15. Viaschlav Fetisov
16. Scott Gomez
17. Petr Sykora
18. Stephane Richer
19. John Madden
20. Bobby Carpenter
21. Tommy Albelin
22. Chris Terreri
23. Billy Guerin
24. Sergei Brylin
25. Joe Cirella

 

[John Flyers Fan]

Top Twenty-Five Devils Players of All-Time

1. Martin Brodeur
2. Scott Stevens
3. John MacLean
4. Scott Niedermayer
5. Patrik Elias
6. Ken Daneyko
7. Claude Lemieux
8. Bobby Holik
9. Kirk Muller
10. Bruce Driver
11. Aaron Broten
12. Pat Verbeek
13. Brian Rafalski
14. Randy McKay
15. Viaschlav Fetisov
16. Scott Gomez
17. Petr Sykora
18. Stephane Richer
19. John Madden
20. Bobby Carpenter
21. Tommy Albelin
22. Chris Terreri
23. Billy Guerin
24. Sergei Brylin
25. Joe Cirella

Best list I've seen. Only issue I'd have is that Fetisov is a bit too high. Only played 5 years and didn't play on any of the Devils Cup winning teams.


Gomez, Madden, Brylin, Terreri have all certainly been better Devils.

Also Shanahan deserves a spot down low on the list, even though he only played 4 years.

 

[pei fan]

Could the Devils have won their recent cups without Madden?I don't think so.
They still could have won without some of the others though.Madden is what
the Devils are all about especially come playoff time.You are supposed to be
naming the best "New Jersey Devils" not the best "Tampa Bay Lightning" if
you see what I'm getting at.

 

[BM67]

Some other guys with at least 4 years as a Devil, Brendan Shanahan, Patrik Sundstrom, Doug Brown, Alexei Kasatonov, Chico Resch, Sean Burke, Craig Wolanin, Randy Velischek, Mark Johnson, and Mel Bridgeman.

If you count his Colorado days, Chico is top 10 worthy, and even without he's only a 100 games or so behind Terreri over a much shorter period.

 

[Habsfan 32]

Niedermayer when it's all said and done will be number 3 behind Brodeur and Stevens.

 

[#66]

I might be alone on this but I'm just not that high on Neidermayer. He doesn't put up overly great points and his D is inconsistent. Don't get me wrong I do think that he's a very good defenseman just a little over-rated.

I also think that right now Brian Rafalski is the Devils top D-man. He's completely under valued around the league. While he doesn't have Neidermayers game breaking ability or flash, I feel that he's better in all zones and one of the best one on one defenseman that I've seen in a long time.

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

I might be alone on this but I'm just not that high on Neidermayer. He doesn't put up overly great points and his D is inconsistent. Don't get me wrong I do think that he's a very good defenseman just a little over-rated.

I also think that right now Brian Rafalski is the Devils top D-man. He's completely under valued around the league. While he doesn't have Neidermayers game breaking ability or flash, I feel that he's better in all zones and one of the best one on one defenseman that I've seen in a long time.

You know nothing about the devils and their system. Its obvious based on that statement. Actually based on that statement it is obvious that you never seen a Devils game ever.

Niedermayer's allround game is his best asset by far. His defense is not inconsistant, it is consistantly great. If anything his offense has been inconsistant. Rafalski was one of our worst defensmen last year, Rafalski is lost without Stevens. His defense was horrible and his offensive numbers went down. He is actually behind Paul Martin at the moment. I may even consider Colin White better then Rafalski at the moment. Let White play with Stevens can see how much more solid his game is.

 

[#66]

You know nothing about the devils and their system. Its obvious based on that statement. Actually based on that statement it is obvious that you never seen a Devils game ever.

Niedermayer's allround game is his best asset by far. His defense is not inconsistant, it is consistantly great. If anything his offense has been inconsistant. Rafalski was one of our worst defensmen last year, Rafalski is lost without Stevens. His defense was horrible and his offensive numbers went down. He is actually behind Paul Martin at the moment. I may even consider Colin White better then Rafalski at the moment. Let White play with Stevens can see how much more solid his game is.

Bwahahahaha Whites stupid penaltys is the reason that the Devils never won back to back. Also if your seeing any games up there you would see that Rafalski has to shoulder the burden of playing with Stevens. Teams attack Rafalski's side of the ice to avoid Stevens. Plus thats the pair that is seeing time against the other teams top lines. If you would watch Devils games instead of Devils highlights you might see that Neidermayer makes a few mistakes per game and at times still forces passes.

 

[Classic Devil]

Some other guys with at least 4 years as a Devil, Brendan Shanahan, Patrik Sundstrom, Doug Brown, Alexei Kasatonov, Chico Resch, Sean Burke, Craig Wolanin, Randy Velischek, Mark Johnson, and Mel Bridgeman.

If you count his Colorado days, Chico is top 10 worthy, and even without he's only a 100 games or so behind Terreri over a much shorter period.

I have Sundstrom next on the list - he's one of my favorite all-time players - followed by Shanahan and Velischek. I don't know what to do with Burke... he could be really high or not on the list at all. Mark Johnson also deserves some credit, but Bridgeman never did anything spectacular.

 

[Classic Devil]

You know nothing about the devils and their system. Its obvious based on that statement. Actually based on that statement it is obvious that you never seen a Devils game ever.

Niedermayer's allround game is his best asset by far. His defense is not inconsistant, it is consistantly great. If anything his offense has been inconsistant. Rafalski was one of our worst defensmen last year, Rafalski is lost without Stevens. His defense was horrible and his offensive numbers went down. He is actually behind Paul Martin at the moment. I may even consider Colin White better then Rafalski at the moment. Let White play with Stevens can see how much more solid his game is.

Colin White is our #6.

With Stevens, our defense is as follows:

Niedermayer
Stevens
Rafalski
Martin
Matvichuk
White
Hale

Despite outplaying Rafalski much of last season, I loathe to put Martin over him - he's still young.

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

Colin White is our #6.

With Stevens, our defense is as follows:

Niedermayer
Stevens
Rafalski
Martin
Matvichuk
White
Hale

Despite outplaying Rafalski much of last season, I loathe to put Martin over him - he's still young.

I don't care if he is young. He played better then Rafalski the whole 2nd half of the season and there is no looking back now. I also think you underate White alot. He was our best defensmen in the playoffs vs Philly and was solid down the stretch.

 

[LadyByngJeanRatelle]

If you would watch Devils games instead of Devils highlights you might see that Neidermayer makes a few mistakes per game and at times still forces passes.

I'm not sure if you do watch devils games. Niedermayer's the most reliable d man in the NHL not named Lidstrom. You don't see him out of position very often, and even when he is his blinding speed allows him to get back.

Defensemen don't win the Norris trophy by making 'a few mistakes per game'.

I kind of agree with the Rafalski bashing, b/c imo he is overrated, but lay off Niedermayer b/c you are wrong.

 

[#66]

I'm not sure if you do watch devils games. Niedermayer's the most reliable d man in the NHL not named Lidstrom. You don't see him out of position very often, and even when he is his blinding speed allows him to get back.

Defensemen don't win the Norris trophy by making 'a few mistakes per game'.

I kind of agree with the Rafalski bashing, b/c imo he is overrated, but lay off Niedermayer b/c you are wrong.

Pft... You might want to watch Paul Coffey play sometime. Not that Niedermayer is that bad on D but IMO his game is very high/low. Last year he had very few bad games but it was his best year since '99 and between that time I didn't think that he played very well at all.
I think that you guys are taking this the wrong way. I'm not Niedermayer bashing. I know that he's ultra clutch and his high end game is awsome. While Rafalski doesn't have his high end game, I think that he is more steady shift for shift.

 

[LadyByngJeanRatelle]

I think that you guys are taking this the wrong way. I'm not Niedermayer bashing. I know that he's ultra clutch and his high end game is awsome. While Rafalski doesn't have his high end game, I think that he is more steady shift for shift.

Pft...if you're saying Rafalski is more steady shift to shift than Niedermayer than I guess we agree to disagree.

I'd rather have Niedermayer in a heartbeat over Rafalski. If Rafalski didn't have a D partner named Scott Stevens, I think u might feel differently.

I don't mean that I'm secretly in love with Niedermayer (not even a devils fan), but he's so smooth with the puck, and I rarely see him ever make a mistake or getting caught out of position. Rafalski can get overpowered in the defensive zone by bigger forwards. Niedermayer is much better at containing the larger forwards (even though their size is comparable - Nieds a little taller).

 

[LadyByngJeanRatelle]

A better idea would be taking the Niedermayer vs. Rafalski argument over to the Devils board. It would be interested who they view as more valuable over the last several years.

 

[#66]

Pft...if you're saying Rafalski is more steady shift to shift than Niedermayer than I guess we agree to disagree.

I'd rather have Niedermayer in a heartbeat over Rafalski. If Rafalski didn't have a D partner named Scott Stevens, I think u might feel differently.

I don't mean that I'm secretly in love with Niedermayer (not even a devils fan), but he's so smooth with the puck, and I rarely see him ever make a mistake or getting caught out of position. Rafalski can get overpowered in the defensive zone by bigger forwards. Niedermayer is much better at containing the larger forwards (even though their size is comparable - Nieds a little taller).

Thats my point though. Rafalski's side of the ice gets flooded with players that want to avoid Stevens. Being on the top unit used against almost all 1st lines around the league he handles the pressure well and almost never makes a mistake. He also uses his size to his advantage and gets under bigger players to through them off balance. He may be short but the guy has the build of a tank with oak tree legs. He'll never win a popularity contest against Niedermayer because he doesn't have the glitz but IMO he's more consistent.

 

[Blackjack]

I'm in the middle on this. Yes, Rafalski struggled without Stevens. But when he does play with Stevens, he holds his own as a top pairing Dman, I don't care how good Stevens is, he's not good enough to make an average defenseman look as good as Rafalski has looked for the last few years.

Also I disagree that he stuggles against larger forwards. From what I've seen, Rafalski uses his small frame very well, almost like Brian Giona, though admitedly not as physical. I've seen him stand up some very large forwards 1 on 1, and his skating is superb.

That being said, you're crazy if you criticize Niedermayer's game. In the past he's been inconsistant offensively, but he can control the game in his own end.