About the New Jersey Devils

A team Wayne Gretzky criticized as a "Mickey Mouse organization in 1983, the New Jersey Devils have risen from below to become one of best teams in the NHL, with consistent great seasons from 1995 to present. The Great One himself has even recanted, proclaiming the Devils the best defensive teams the NHL has ever seen. Starting out as the Kansas City Scouts in 1974, then the Colorado Rockies in 1976, the team moved to the Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford, New Jersey, in 1982. The name Devils, a nod to the legend of a mythological creature that inhabits the Pine Barrens, was chosen by local voters in a newspaper contest.

The team changed coaches often in first several years in an attempt to reverse their losing streak. Original coach Bill MacMillan was fired midway through the 1983-84 season and replaced with Tom McVie. The Devils had their worst record in their short history that year, and McVie was replaced by Doug Carpenter after the season. They started to improve after hiring former Providence College coach Lou Lamonriello as GM before the 87-88 season, competing in their first playoffs in 87-88. They lost to the Boston Bruins in 7 games.

The Devils missed the playoffs the next season, but continued to show improvement. Coaches frequently rotated, but when former Montreal Canadiens forward Jacques Lemaire was hired as coach, the team had a turnaround. They made the playoffs each year between 1990 and 1993. They won their first Stanley Cup in the 94-95 lockout-shortened season against the Detroit Red Wings in 4 games. They failed to make playoffs next season, however, and had lackluster performances throughout the rest of the 90s.

Jersey made a comeback in 1999-00, with a returning Lemieux from the Colorado Avalance. They defeated the Dallas Stars in 6 games for the Stanley Cup. They lost the Cup to Colorado in 2001, and again in 2002 to the Carolina Hurricanes in the first round. In 2002-03 they returned to beat the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim for the Stanley Cup, four games to three, but in 2004 lost to Philadephia Flyers in 5 games.

After an 11 game winning streak at the end of the regular 2005-06 season, the Devils won their first round playoff series against the Rangers 4-0, extending their streak to fifteen games. The season ended for the Devils on May 14, losing the Eastern Conference Semifinal game 5 to the Hurricanes, who would go on to beat the Oilers to become the Stanley Cup champions.