NEW JERSEY DEVILS SEASON PREVIEW:
The New Jersey Devils shocked the NHL world and most casual hockey observers when they cruised to a 48-28-6 record in the regular season for the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference. After knocking off the Florida Panthers, Philadelphia Flyers and New York Rangers in the Stanley Cup playoffs, the Devils were in line for their fourth title before being defeated by the Los Angeles Kings in the Stanley Cup Finals. Heading into the 2012-13 season, the Devils roster will hurt from the loss of one of its leading goal-scorers, Zach Parise, but many key veterans and talented young players could help the team prove that its playoff run was no fluke.
Offensively, the Devils will return much of its potent scoring attack from a year ago, and the team's first line will still offer plenty of firepower with Ilya Kovalchuk, Travis Zajac and Dainus Zubrus. Obviously, the Devils will have to rely on younger players to replace Parise's minutes from the 2011-12 season, but the squad has plenty of depth with savvy veterans like Patrik Elias and David Clarkson as well as Calder Trophy nominee Adam Henrique. The Devils also made sure to secure their potent fourth line of Stephen Gionta, Krys Barch and Ryan Carter, who combined for 21 points in 24 playoff games last year.
On defense, the Devils made sure to lock up stellar defenseman Bryce Salvador to a multi-year contract, who brings a steady presence to the team's power play and penalty killing minutes. The Devils are also hoping to see growth out of young players like Marek Zidlicky, who should see significant time along with Andy Greene and Henrik Tallinder. At goaltender, the ageless Martin Brodeur continues to produce at a high level and will return for his 21st year in the NHL. Goaltender Johan Hedberg also proved to be a reliable backup during the 2011-12 season and will return to keep Brodeur fresh throughout the season.
Looking ahead to the 2012-13 season schedule, the Devils will kick off their season on October 13 at home against another Eastern Conference contender, the Boston Bruins. Most fans will have their sights set on the Devils' February 9 matchup against the Los Angeles Kings to see if the team can get revenge for their Stanley Cup Finals loss. With a strong roster from top to bottom, the Devils have all the talent and the experience to make a deep playoff run and sustain their success in the coming years.
NEW JERSEY DEVILS EXPERIENCE:
Founded: 1974
Location: Newark, New Jersey
Stadium: Prudential Center
Conference: Eastern Conference
Division: Atlantic Division
New Jersey Devils Stanley Cup Titles: 3: 1994-95, 1999-00 & 2002-03
New Jersey Devils Conference Championships: 5
Notable Players: Ken Deneyko, Peter Stastny
The New Jersey Devils play hockey in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey Association (NHL). The team was founded in 1974 and started out in Kansas City, Missouri. After a couple of seasons, the New Jersey Devils briefly moved to Denver and then settled in New Jersey in 1982. The Devils played their home games in the Meadowlands at the Continental Airlines Arena until this season (2007) when they moved to the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. Some of New Jersey’s most valuable players include Scott Stevens, Patrick Elias, and Claude Lemieux.
The New Jersey Devils play their home games at Prudential Center in Newark. The arena holds nearly 18,000 fans for hockey games. As you approach the arena through Triangle Park from Newark’s Penn Station, you’ll see the nearly 5,000 square foot external video screen. Entering the arena between the two entrance towers, you can see how key this venue is to the revitalization of Newark. A new era of New Jersey hockey in a new arena in a newly revitalized Newark is an exciting thing to witness. Buy New Jersey Devils tickets today!
See Also:
New Jersey Devils Playoff tickets
New Jersey Devils Season Preview History