Devils, state of New Jersey on center stage during Stadium Series against Flyers 

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- The New Jersey Devils are Jersey’s team, and the 2024 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series is Jersey’s event.

Four teams will play at MetLife Stadium. The Devils will host the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday (8 p.m. ET; ABC, ESPN+, TVAS-D, SN1), and the New York Islanders will host the New York Rangers on Sunday (3 p.m. ET; ABC, ESPN+, SN, TVAS).

But the logo features the name and outline of New Jersey, with the Devils’ original colors of red and green. The field is designed to look like a park in a New Jersey town. The entertainment will have a New Jersey vibe when the Devils play outdoors at home for the first time and draw the largest crowd in their history.

“Sometimes we live in the shadow here, and now we get the big event,” Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald said. “It’s here at MetLife Stadium. Our whole state can be proud …”

He laughed.

“Even though a lot of these Philly players and coaches live in New Jersey.”

It’s true. They do. A lot of them live in the suburbs across the Delaware River in the southern part of the state. The Flyers practice in Voorhees, New Jersey.

Such is life in a crowded, competitive sports region where loyalty doesn’t always jibe with geography.

The Devils have had to carve out an identity from the beginning. The Kansas City Scouts became the Colorado Rockies in 1976, and the Rockies became the Devils in 1982.

The other three teams were in the NHL already. The Rangers joined in 1926, the Flyers in 1968, the Islanders in 1972.

The Devils have continued to be underdogs around here, especially in comparison to the Rangers, even though they’ve won the Stanley Cup three times (1995, 2000 and 2003) since the Flyers (1975), Islanders (1983) and Rangers (1994) each won their last championship.

“I think everybody’s in a different situation, and I understand the Rangers fans and why they root for the Rangers,” said Martin Brodeur, the Hockey Hall of Fame goalie who is now the Devils executive vice president of hockey operations. “I get it.”

He laughed.

“I’m not saying I like it, but I get it.”

It’s an odd dynamic.

“People envied us, even though we were almost the stepchild there,” Brodeur said. “We built something, and people gave us a lot of respect. They probably didn’t give us the recognition as much as maybe if the Rangers would have done that.”

MetLife Stadium is the home of two pro sports teams -- the Giants and Jets of the NFL -- but each represents New York, not New Jersey.

Since the New Jersey Nets of the NBA became the Brooklyn Nets in 2012, the Devils have been the only team from the four major pro sports leagues to represent the state. There is a reason their third jerseys simply say “Jersey.”

“It’s all New York,” Brodeur said. “But there’s a big pride factor being from New Jersey, and so to be able to identify this weekend as Jersey’s, I think, is something that is really special.”

The Flyers have played in five outdoor events and hosted two: the 2012 Winter Classic at Citizens Bank Park and the 2019 Stadium Series at Lincoln Financial Field.

The Rangers have played in four outdoor games, including three in New York: two in the 2014 Stadium Series at Yankee Stadium and one in the 2018 Winter Classic at Citi Field.

The Devils and Islanders each have played in one outdoor event: the 2014 Stadium Series at Yankee Stadium. The Devils lost to the Rangers 7-3 on Jan. 26, and the Islanders lost to the Rangers on 2-1 on Jan. 29.

“It normally gets blown up in New York for the Rangers,” said Devils defenseman Brendan Smith, who played for the Rangers from 2017-21, “and then this is, like, our home, our turf.

“I think you get that feeling that this is a big thing for the Jersey fans. You get kind of that blue-collar feel. I like that. That’s how I grew up. I kind of relish that. I love that kind of feeling.

“And I’m hoping -- and you never know how things are going to play out -- that’s a real Jersey feel out there. I’m excited for that.”

There will be.

Giants quarterback Tommy DeVito is from New Jersey. He was born in Livingston, grew up in Cedar Grove and will be a special guest Saturday.

The Jonas Brothers are from New Jersey and will stage a pregame concert at 6:30 p.m. ET.

Two members of Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band will make appearances. Drummer Max Weinberg will be a special guest. Saxophonist Jake Clemons will perform the U.S. anthem.

The Gaslight Anthem, another New Jersey band, will play “Howl,” the Devils goal song, each time New Jersey scores.

“To have our state showcased in an event like this is super important for our fans,” Fitzgerald said. “They’re proud. They’re proud to be from New Jersey. It’s a fantastic state.”

Fitzgerald is from Billerica, Massachusetts. He played 1,097 NHL games as a forward from 1988-2006, including 205 for the Islanders from 1988-93.

He pointed out that he played 60 games against New Jersey, more than he played against any other opponent, but didn’t appreciate the state until he joined the Devils as assistant GM on July 24, 2015.

“You don’t know New Jersey until you live here and live it and understand it and see the passion of our fan base,” said Fitzgerald, who rose to GM on Jan. 12, 2020. “I feel the ups and downs they’ve gone through as a fan base.”

New Jersey should be fired up this weekend.