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.