NHL Unveils Devils Quarter Century Teams | FEATURE 

The National Hockey League has spent the past few weeks unveiling their Quarter Century rosters for every NHL team, and on Jan. 22, the New Jersey Devils First and Second rosters were revealed.

New Jersey, which has a rich history of All-Stars, has had dominant players in all positions over the years.

On the list, the are five players who at one time wore the captain's C, two Calder Trophy winners, and between them all have won 17 Stanley Cups with the Devils franchise. Four players have had the honor of seeing their numbers raised to the rafters, retired by the club, and one player has cracked the Quarter Century First Team and is just now hitting the prime of his NHL career.

And of course, with little surprise, there's the one we call the G.O.A.T.

But who are the top 25 NHL players of the past 25 years overall? Beginning Feb. 12 and continuing through April 1, NHL fans will have the final say in the NHL Quarter-Century Team Fan Vote. Click here to give the Devils your vote! Make sure New Jersey is well represented among the all-time best this century.

Check out the full teams below and visit the Quarter Century Team hub here!

First Team

Patrick Elias

It should come as little surprise that the franchise’s all-time leader in points, goals and assists makes the Devils Quarter Century team. That’s exactly who Patrik Elias is. He played his entire 20-year NHL career in the Devils organization and won two Stanley Cups (2000, 2003).

Elias had his No. 26 retired by the club on Feb. 24, 2018, becoming the franchises first forward to have their number retired.

Czech forward played his final game in 2016, and still maintains his franchise leads in points (1025), goals (408) and assists (617). Up until 2022-23, Elias also held the club’s record for most points in one season (96), until the rise of current superstar, and fellow First Team player, Jack Hughes.

Jack Hughes

The Devils 1st-overall pick in 2019, Jack Hughes, has not only become a star for New Jersey but he's become one of the league's superstars. In 2022-23, Hughes broke the franchise record for most points in a single season, ending the year with 99 points with his 43 goals and 56 assists.

Jack, who is only just beginning to write his story with the Devils, is the youngest member of the Quarter Century team and the only current Devil to crack either the first or second roster.

"He's a special player," Travis Zajac, who played with Hughes, said. "I think for this team, not only now, but with the way it's going, he'll be one of the greats, not only for this organization but in the league. It's nice to see him continuing to get better every year. And the team get better around him. I'm obviously happy for him and see him earn some of the success he deserves."

Zach Parise

Drafted by the Devils in 2003 with the 17th overall pick, Zach Parise completes the three-man forward line of the Devils Quarter Century team. He began his career in New Jersey during the 2005-06 NHL season and had his best offensive season in 2008-09 with 45 goals and 94 points. That season, his 45 goals ranked third league-wide.

Parise sits 5th all-time in goals for the franchise, ending his tenure in New Jersey with 194, including 138 at even strength, good for fourth all-time.

Scott Stevens

Known for his booming hits as a hard-hitting, physical defenseman. Stevens served as the club's captain from 1993 to 2004 and remains the longest-serving captain in the club's history. He spent 13 years as part of the Devils fabric and was the first player in franchise history to have their number retired. The Devils hung Stevens’ No. 4 in the rafters on Feb. 3, 2006, just two years after his retirement and a year before he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. In 2000, Stevens won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the league’s best defenseman. Suiting up for 956 games for the Devils, Stevens ranks fifth on the all-time games played list and his 430 points sits in the Top 10. Known for his physical play that forced opponents to always be on guard, Stevens finished his Devils career with 1007 penalty minutes.

A 13-time All-Star, Stevens is one of only five players to be on all three Devils Stanley Cup teams (Brodeur, Daneyko, Niedermayer and Brylin).

"As a young defenseman, I was already surrounded by a group of older defensemen," Scott Niedermayer shared. "And then there was another one, very different player than I was, which was kind of neat to see. It kind of opened my eyes to different levels of intensity that I didn't know existed and then I got to play with him a bit my first (full) year."

Scott Niedermayer

At the 1991 NHL Entry Draft, the New Jersey Devils selected defenseman Scott Niedermayer with the third overall pick. This pick would help transform the franchise’s trajectory. A staple on the Devils blueline for 13 seasons, Niedermayer morphed into an elite talent both in the NHL and on the international stage with Canada. He is often recognized not only for being one of the Devils best defensemen ever, but league-wide as well. He was regarded for being an excellent player at both ends of the ice and had an unmatched ease when it came to carrying the puck up the ice. He won all three Devils Stanley Cups and, in 2004, won the Norris Trophy as the league’s best defenseman.

Among his many accolades was winning the Norris Trophy in 2004 as the league’s top defenseman; Niedermayer’s name appears on a host of Devils Top-10 records, including games played (8th all-time, 892 games), assists (2nd, 364), points (6th, 476) and game-winning goals (T-10, 26).

On Dec. 16, 2011, New Jersey retired Niedermayer’s No. 27 and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2013. In 2017, Niedermayer was named as one of the the NHL’s 100 Greatest Players in history.

"At first I was jealous because of how well he could skate," Stevens remembers of his first encounter with Niedermayer. "He's like effortless. I had never seen a defenseman that could skate so well and move around so well. It was fun to watch him play. It was amazing how we were so different. I would sweat a lot and would change my shifts between periods, and at the end of the game, Neids would never need to change his sweater or anything. He'd have the tiniest bit of sweat. I'm like 'How can you skate like that and play so many minutes and you don't sweat?'"

Martin Brodeur

There will never be another like him.

And boy, were the Devils lucky to have had (and still have!) him. There was undoubtedly no competition regarding what goaltender would make the First Quarter Century team for the Devils. Martin Brodeur holds nearly every record there is for a goaltender, not just with the Devils franchise, but in the league's history. He owns a slew of them.

And it all started in his rookie season when he won the Calder Trophy. Along with backstopping the Devils to three Stanley Cups, he won the Vezina on four occasions, given to the league’s top goaltender every year. He holds the record for most 40-win seasons with eight, holds the league record in career shutouts (125) and holds the NHL records for most wins (691) and games played (1266).

Brodeur leads the Devils franchise in nearly every statistical category eligible for a goaltender, in wins, losses (394), ties/overtime/shootout (154), saves (28776), goals against average (2.24) and also scored three goals, as the only goaltender in league history to score more than one goal. Brodeur did all the heavy lifting in net for New Jersey over his career and holds the NHL record for most consecutive 30-win seasons with 12.

SECOND TEAM

Scott Gomez

Drafted 27th overall in 1998, Scott Gomez was part of two Stanley Cup championships (2000, 2003), including winning the Cup in his rookie season. Gomez put up 70 points in his rookie season during the regular season and another 10 points in 23 games during the Stanley Cup playoffs. Not only did his rookie season end in a championship, he was also awarded the Calder Trophy as the league’s top rookie. He was the first rookie since the 1960’s to win both the Cup and the Calder in the same season.

Gomez’s best statistical year in New Jersey was in 2005-06 when he put up 84 points (33g, 51a), and his 33 goals set his career-high.

His 361 assists with the Devils continue to rank third all-time, while his 484 points rank him fifth all-time.

Langenbrunner spent nine seasons with New Jersey, winning one Stanley Cup. He ranks tied for seventh in shorthanded goals for the franchise with 10, and his 32 game-winning goals rank fifth all-time.

He captained the Devils for four seasons between 2007-2011. During 2006-07, Langenbrunner had his best offensive season, with 60 points, setting career highs in goals (23) and assists (37).

He was traded to the Devils from the Dallas Stars in 2002, arriving in New Jersey. A year later, the Devils would win a Stanley Cup. In 2007, the Devils named Langenbrunner captain. During the Devils’ run to their 2003 championship, Langenbrunner played a pivotal role, scoring 11 post-season goals and leading the NHL in post-season points with 18.

He was a real gamer in the postseason. He played in 68 playoff games in New Jersey and scored an incredible 50 points, including 18 goals and 32 assists. He currently ranks 10th all-time in playoff scoring for New Jersey.

"Just a steady veteran," Travis Zajac recalled of his once-linemate. "He was a player who played the right way, made guys around him better. You know, a really good playmaker, good goal scorer. Underrated all-around skill.

Travis Zajac

You could count on Travis Zajac for just about everything. A formidable two-way forward, Travis Zajac could contribute to the success of a team in each and every way.

New Jersey selected him 20^th overall in 2004. He spent 15 years with the franchise, playing 1024 games with the Devils crest on his jersey, ranking fourth all-time. His accolades run deep through the franchise. He is tied for third in all-time goals (202), fifth in assists (348), third in points (550), and fourth in both power play (53) and shorthanded (12) goals.

Zajac has served as a bridge between the Devils’ older generation and the current group. He played with some of the franchise’s greatest, now retired stars, and alongside current players like Nico Hischier, Jesper Bratt, and Jack Hughes. His impact on the current group of players cannot be understated. His name often comes up when you talk to the team’s current stars about learning what it takes to play the game at the highest level.

After deciding to retire after a short stint with the New York Islanders, Zajac signed a one-day contract on September 20, 2021, to retire as a New Jersey Devil.

"It's an honor," Zajac said of being named to the team. "Especially when I start thinking about all the players that I played with that I thought were fantastic players and people definitely also deserving to be on there."

Andy Greene

Andy Greene joined the Devils as an undrafted free-agent, arriving from the college ranks at Miami University onto the Devils roster. He played 14 seasons with the Devils, from 2007-2022 and served as captain for eight.

Greene wasn’t known for his flashy play, but instead was your prototypical defensive defenseman, always reliable and a valued mentor. Greene ranks seventh all-time on the Devils games played list (923) and was a prolific penalty-killer.

Like his friend and Second Team member, Greene also signed a one-day contract with New Jersey to retire a Devil.

Brian Rafalski

Brian Rafalski joined the New Jersey Devils out of college, signing as a 25-year-old, undrafted free agent. Jumping right into the New Jersey lineup, Rafalski would become the mainstay partner for Scott Stevens during the first five years of his career, and the remaining five for Stevens.

Rafalski, as was the same for Gomez, won the Stanley Cup with New Jersey in 2000 as an NHL rookie. He won a second Cup with New Jersey in 2003. He suited up for 541 regular season games with the Devils

He played in 102 playoff games with the Devils scoring 17 goals and 43 assists. His 60 post-season points rank sixth all-time in franchise history, while his nine post-season power play goals rank third.

"We were partners for a little bit in the playoffs," Andy Greene remembered. "He was someone that I really looked up to. He's similar, not style, but we took similar pathways as college free agents. He was a way better player than I was!"

Cory Schneider

Cory Schneider sits firmly in between the pipes of the Devils Second Quarter Century team. Schneider spent seven seasons with New Jersey, playing 311 games and a 115-133-50 record.

It makes perfect sense to have Schneider in this spot, he’s second to Brodeur in nearly every category on the Devils all-time list for goaltenders. After Brodeur, Schneider became the most consistent starting goaltender for the franchise, playing in the second most games (311), having the second most shutouts (17) and minutes (17,872) as well as the second-most saves with 8023.

One category where Schneider holds the team record is save percentage, ending his career in New Jersey with a .915. During the 2014-15 season, Schneider played 69 games with New Jersey, the most of any goaltender in a single season, other than Brodeur.

He appeared as an All-Star twice as a member of the New Jersey Devils, his most notable in 2016 when he was in the middle of a superb personal season that saw him post a career-best 27 wins.