New Jersey Devils Top 5 Players

[Wingman77]

I did that poll...

I remember specifically saying that it's not about who was the best player, it's who contributed the most to the organization in their time here. Daneyko over MacLean is understandable because Daneyko was so vital to the Devils for the first twenty years of the franchise.

I think that list is pretty accurate. Parise might be somewhere on that list now, since that was the summer he left so there was a notable amount of bad blood there.

Aside from working his ass off, leading by example and being a solid player while he was here, Parise did nothing more for or with this organization than anybody on that list did

I'd easily put Gomez and arguably Mogilny after #20 on that list before I got to Parise

 

[Zippy316]

Aside from working his ass off, leading by example and being a solid player while he was here, Parise did nothing more for or with this organization than anybody on that list did

I'd easily put Gomez and arguably Mogilny after #20 on that list before I got to Parise

Understandable.

But I would say the list as a whole is pretty accurate.

I figured it would be a fun thing to kill time and entice some debate when there wasn't much to talk about.

 

[Wingman77]

Understandable.

But I would say the list as a whole is pretty accurate.

I figured it would be a fun thing to kill time and entice some debate when there wasn't much to talk about.

I'd agree it's definitely accurate

I'd say just about every player on that list belongs in the top 20, the only debatable parts would be some guys belonging in higher or lower positions, but that's the fun in it

 

[GhostofKenKlee]

"Pure Devils"

Brodeur
Niedermayer
JohnnyMacAttack
Danekyo
Parise

Best to ever wear the uniform:

Marty
Stevens
Niedermayer
Niewendyk
Gilmour

 

[JimEIV]

If we're talking the most skilled players ever to play on the Devils, then Peter Stastny has to be on the list over either of Kovalchuk or Mogilny, along with Fetisov and Jagr.

It'd be something like:

Brodeur
Stevens
Fetisov
Jagr
Stastny

Kovalchuk and Mogilny both still don't make it.

Leaving Niedermayer out of a skilled list is a travesty...I have never seen a more beautiful skater in my time of watching hockey than Scott Niederamyer.

I just shake my head anytime I see Fetisov's name in any list, as far NJ goes...during his time in NJ he was never good. Not even a little, even calling him 'OK' would be a stretch.

His 'rookie' season in New Jersey he started very strong offensively but was very shaky defensively, he got better, helped the PP a lot and had an overall decent year...He was NOT one of the 3 best defensemen that year and that was his absolute best year as a Devil.

He got significantly worse with each year in NJ, both offensively and defensively...There was some great hope when I found out he was coming over with Kasatonov...And they started with with promise...But if you looked at the 89-90 team which I was a season ticket holder for, Driver, Kasatonov, Ken Daneyko where head and shoulders above Fetisov and when Weinrich came in later in the year he was better than Fetisov as well...

Matter of fact Kasatonov was a FAR better overall Devil than Fetisov...Kasatonov had a monster point shot, he was dependable and physical in his own zone...

For some strange reason Kasatonov gets no credit. But he deserves ALL OF IT..

Kasatonov played 257 games here and had 31 goals and 119 points as a Devil
Fetisov played 341 games here and had 19 goals and had 130 points as Devil

Yet somehow Fetisov's name always gets thrown up as a Devil great, some kind of Russian Bobby Orr...And NOTHING could be further from the truth...Kasatonov was a better Devil both offensively and Defensively and NO ONE ever utters his name.

...Fetisov's years in Detroit were significantly better than anything he showed in NJ, but while he was here he was terrible to ok depending on the year. Overall, Terrible.

 

[Classic Devil]

Leaving Niedermayer out of a skilled list is a travesty...I have never seen a more beautiful skater in my time of watching hockey than Scott Niederamyer.

I just shake my head anytime I see Fetisov's name in any list, as far NJ goes...during his time in NJ he was never good. Not even a little, even calling him 'OK' would be a stretch.

His 'rookie' season in New Jersey he started very strong offensively but was very shaky defensively, he got better, helped the PP a lot and had an overall decent year...He was NOT one of the 3 best defensemen that year and that was his absolute best year as a Devil.

He got significantly worse with each year in NJ, both offensively and defensively...There was some great hope when I found out he was coming over with Kasatonov...And they started with with promise...But if you looked at the 89-90 team which I was a season ticket holder for, Driver, Kasatonov, Ken Daneyko where head and shoulders above Fetisov and when Weinrich came in later in the year he was better than Fetisov as well...

Matter of fact Kasatonov was a FAR better overall Devil than Fetisov...Kasatonov had a monster point shot, he was dependable and physical in his own zone...

For some strange reason Kasatonov gets no credit. But he deserves ALL OF IT..

Kasatonov played 257 games here and had 31 goals and 119 points as a Devil
Fetisov played 341 games here and had 19 goals and had 130 points as Devil

Yet somehow Fetisov's name always gets thrown up as a Devil great, some kind of Russian Bobby Orr...And NOTHING could be further from the truth...Kasatonov was a better Devil both offensively and Defensively and NO ONE ever utters his name.

...Fetisov's years in Detroit were significantly better than anything he showed in NJ, but while he was here he was terrible to ok depending on the year. Overall, Terrible.

I love Kasatonov, I think he was a great Devil, but that top-5 was most skilled players to play in a Devils uniform based on career performance rather than NHL performance, and Fetisov's international career gets him on that list.

I put Kasatonov on a fair number of my Devils all-time teams.

 

[GhostofKenKlee]

Bernie Nicholls enters the debate at what point? Solely in terms of talent to have worn the Devils jersey. Forget their tenure.

 

[Torts]

In no particular order

Brodeur
Stevens
Niedermayer
Elias
MacLean

Parise just misses out top 5 IMO. He'd be a very very very strong 6th with Daneyko close behind.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

In no particular order

Brodeur
Stevens
Niedermayer
Elias
MacLean

Parise just misses out top 5 IMO. He'd be a very very very strong 6th with Daneyko close behind.

Parise is not close to the top 5.

 

[JimEIV]

All these below players are kind of similar as far as production as Devils - But Gionta and Holik won 2 Stanely Cups here...Holik was a top 20 Selke vote getter for 5 straight season from 97 to 2002 --- During the 97-98 season Holik was 20th in Hart Voting and 5th in Selke Voting and led the Devils in Scoring.

Holik should be very high on any Devils all time list....Maybe 6th

Zach Parise = 502 194 216 410 .38 GPG - .816 PPG
Brendan Shannahan = 315 94 134 228 .30 GPG - .72 PPG
Pat Verbeek = 463 170 151 321 .36 GPG - .69 PPG
Brian Gionta = 473 152 160 312 .32 GPG - .66 PPG
Bobby Holik = 786 202 270 472 .256 GPG - .6 PPG

 

[Classic Devil]

All these below players are kind of similar as far as production as Devils - But Gionta and Holik won 2 Stanely Cups here...Holik was a top 20 Selke vote getter for 5 straight season from 97 to 2002 --- During the 97-98 season Holik was 20th in Hart Voting and 5th in Selke Voting and led the Devils in Scoring.

Holik should be very high on any Devils all time list....Maybe 6th

Zach Parise = 502 194 216 410 .38 GPG - .816 PPG
Brendan Shannahan = 315 94 134 228 .30 GPG - .72 PPG
Pat Verbeek = 463 170 151 321 .36 GPG - .69 PPG
Brian Gionta = 473 152 160 312 .32 GPG - .66 PPG
Bobby Holik = 786 202 270 472 .256 GPG - .6 PPG

I have Holik at 6. He's the only guy that challenges MacLean for the top 5.

 

[JRZ DVLS]

No Verbeek, Shanny and Sundstrom are disappointing to see on top 20.