Honoring John MacLean | RING OF HONOR

In the Pantheon of New Jersey heroes, there is a "One And Only" - namely John MacLean.

Whether it was his original playoff-clinching goal in Chicago - circa 1988 - or Mac's 1995 heroics against Detroit in the march to the Devils' first Stanley Cup, Johnny's list of noble feats have been vital keys to the franchise's growth.

For those and innumerable other reasons it explains why the native of Oshawa, Ontario is the Devils fourth Ring of Honor inductee.

"We knew from the very beginning that John would be a star," says Glenn "Chico" Resch, who was there when MacLean made his debut during the 1983-84 campaign, the franchise's second season in the National Hockey League. "It was only a matter of time for him to develop into the hero that he would become."

After excelling for a famed Ontario Junior hockey team, the Oshawa Generals, MacLean was New Jersey's first selection - sixth overall - in the 1983 Entry Draft.

"I got picked - along with Pat Verbeek - a year ahead of Johnny in the Devils' first draft," recalled “Mister Devil” Ken Daneyko. "Of course, we couldn't predict it at the time but the foundations of what would be a memorable team were being put into place. Another foundation block was added when Mac joined us for a handful of games (23) in 1983-84."

At training camp in preparation for the 1984-85 NHL campaign, new Devils coach Doug Carpenter checked out the kid who still looked like a fresh amateur. But, after a few workouts the red-headed bench boss turned to reporters and said, "At times MacLean has been the best player on the ice."

MacLean's first full season, which began in the fall of 1984, merely provided the first rung on the ladder up to the NHL's crest. He scored 13 goals and added 20 assists for 33 points: not Calder Trophy-worth, but not a bad start either.

"What mattered," said Max McNab, who was general manager at the time, "was that Johnny kept improving after his rookie year. His growth graph was very encouraging."

Sure enough, a season (1985-86) later MacLean hiked his goal total to 21 and helpers to 36 -totaling 57 points.

McNab: "He really came of age as a sniper in 1986-87 when he played a full 80-game season and went over the 30-goal mark (31), added 36 assists (67 points). From that point on we figured that the sky was the limit in terms of his production. The only problem was that we still hadn't made the playoffs since arriving in New Jersey."

According to "Pain And Progress," the official Devils' history of the club's early years, the following observation was made: "On the plus side was the dramatic improvement of John MacLean as well as rookies Kirk Muller and Greg Adams."

A turning point in the life of the franchise took place in the summer of 1987 when McNab's position as general manager was terminated. His replacement, Lou Lamoriello, wasted no time making moves and one, in particular, had a direct effect on MacLean.

Lou immediately dispatched the team's leading scorer Greg Adams and popular goalie Kirk McLean to Vancouver for center Patrik Sundstrom and a fourth-round draft choice. Over each of the previous five seasons the Swedish ace had averaged 25 goals. Lou also had made Brendan Shanahan his top draft pick.

"The Shanahan, Sundstrom, MacLean line was probably the second best line in Devils history behind the A Line (Patrik Elias, Petr Sykora, Jason Arnott)," said Hall of Fame New York Post hockey reporter Larry Brooks, who headed the Devils public relations department at the time. "It was just a great, great line."

Another Lamoriello move that abetted Johnny Mac's career took place on January 26, 1988 when Carpenter was fired and replaced as head coach by Jim Schoenfeld - one redhead followed the other, except that the results would be meaningfully more positive.

According to the Devils' history, "Slowly but significantly, John MacLean was emerging as a clutch scorer."

Nevertheless - and despite Schoenfeld's lineup shuffling - the Devils struggled in their drive for a first playoff berth. Even after goaltending prodigy Sean Burke joined the team following the 1988 Winter Olympics, the club's won-lost movement had a yo-yo look about it and with only 10 games left on the schedule, the Garden Staters were in fifth place, still out of a playoff berth. But the best was yet to come.

A relentless homestretch push lifted New Jersey up to a 37-36-6 mark, worth 80 points and a tie with the New York Rangers for fourth place. Games played at Madison Square Garden and Chicago Stadium on the night of April 3, 1988 would determine whether the Rangers or Devils would make the playoffs.

The Blueshirts - hosting the Quebec Nordiques - would start their game an hour ahead of the Blackhawks, who were home to the Devils in the Windy City. Behind John Vanbiesbrouck's goaltending the Rangers easily won 3-0. Still, the Devils had a chance to reach hockey's pot of gold if they beat Chicago - but a tie or loss would give New York the coveted playoff berth.

MacLean's goal at 2:21 of overtime sealed the deal for the Devils, who moved into the postseason for the first time in franchise annals. According to the club's history: "The Devils would not have reached the playoffs were it not for MacLean's dramatic pair of goals against Chicago. His name became forever etched in Devils history after his heroics in Chicago Stadium."

But as far as Johnny Mac's career was concerned this was just the start of something big, starting with a first round tourney against the New York Islanders.

"We were a little tentative at first," MacLean recalled, "because we had never been in the playoffs. It took us a bit of time to get the feel of it and once that happened we were on our way."

The New Jersey sextet disposed of the Islanders in six games and moved into the Patrick Division Finals against the Washington Capitals. That was the good news; the bad news was that the series opened at Capitol Centre in Landover, Maryland. At one point the Devils' record at the suburban arena was a frighteningly 0-19-1.

"It didn't bother us," said MacLean, "because we had a similar record at Nassau Coliseum and the Islanders and we still knocked them off."

Johnny was prescient, although a full seven games against Washington were required and even then the decisive match was tied 2-2 well into the third period. But this was the brand of melodrama in which MacLean thrived.

Covering the game as I was at the time for SportsChannel, I too was trying to envision the final result: also bearing in mind that the Capitals had the home town fans behind them.

But the scoreboard clock played no favorites and now the Devils had invaded the Caps end of the ice.

Mark Johnson nursed the puck for New Jersey and noticed defenseman Craig Wolanin at the right point. "Wooly," as he was known to his mates, had a mighty shot but never seemed to use it enough to suit his detractors. But on this occasion, he departed from habit and launched a drive. It was vicious and heading directly toward the net. Also eyeing the incoming sphere of vulcanized rubber was MacLean who was camped in front of the crease just a few feet in front of goalie Pete Peeters.

Suddenly, Johnny Mac extended his wand just high enough to enable the stick to tip the biscuit which zoomed right past Peeters and into the twine. The time was 13:39 and that was that. Goalie Sean Burke then held the fort, allowing his mates a 3-2 triumph.

According to the Devils' official history, "Like all good teams, the Devils developed a legitimate hero. John MacLean emerged as the clutch scorer supreme, again delivering the winning counter when it was most needed."

As for Mac, the hero, he faced the media mob in the winners' clubhouse and succinctly delivered his message: "I want to continue this dream. Please don't wake me up!"

Johnny Mac was not dreaming when he watched a banner being hung from the Meadowlands Arena: 1988 PATRICK DIVISION PLAYOFF CHAMPIONS." But there still was work to be done; namely The Wales Conference Finals, starting at Boston Garden.

Once again, Schoenfeld's valiant skaters extended the heavily-favored Bruins who led New Jersey three games to two with Game 6 at East Rutherford. "We knew we had to play our best game," said MacLean, "because the Bruins wanted to get it over with."

The Beantowners sure tried, rebounding whenever the Devils took the lead until the score was knotted at 3-3. But soon it would be "MacLean Time" again. After being hooked at Boston's blue line - no penalty - Mac fought his way all the way to the enemy goal line. Bruins goalie Reggie Lemelin appeared to have the situation in hand until the Devils' ace found space between the goaltender's body and the goal post.

One account put it this way: "The puck struck Lemelin behind the knee and caromed into the net. It was MacLean's sixth goal of the series and put his club ahead. It also turned out to be the game-winner in a 6-3 rout.”

"It was the most complete game we played in the series," summed up Johnny Mac in the dressing room. "This was by far the best game for everybody."

Although the Bruins would win Game 7, MacLean and his teammates had made an everlasting statement. Throughout the summer of 1988 their accomplishments would be discussed over backyard barbecues, at the beach and behind sports desks.

"The Devils," assured New York Times columnist George Vecsey, "were the first professional team proud enough to carry the name of the state of New Jersey this deep into any playoffs."

Meanwhile, Johnny Mac became what best can be described as "The People's Choice" among the Devils. The media folks loved him because he was available to them win or lose. The fans loved him because he never would turn down an autograph request. Larry Brooks, who would become an Elmer Ferguson (Hockey Hall of Fame) Award-winner after his stint as Devils PR boss, called Johnny Mac his favorite Devil. Here's how Larry's son Jordan explains MacLean's appeal:

"Johnny Mac was, by far, my favorite Devil while I was growing up. I wore my #15 jersey to Game 4 of the 1995 Stanley Cup Final and still have it. Beyond John's big shot and knack for scoring clutch goals, he was so smart. He created tons of offense on the PK and was trusted by all his coaches in every situation.

"Mac was the only player - other than Wayne Gretzky - whom I recall wearing his jersey half-tucked. Because he wore his jersey like that, I did too! Had he not suffered the knee injury that cost him '91-92 - and limited him to 24 goals in '92-93 - he undoubtedly would have been a 500-goal scorer and a legitimate Hockey Hall of Fame candidate."

Like every fan who followed the Devils along the trail to the 1995 Stanley Cup, Jordan enjoys a special memory (The Maven's favorite was Shawn Chambers' goal in the clinching Game 4 - from that first Cup run). It was Game 4 of the second round - against Pittsburgh - with the Devils leading the series, 2-1.

Jordan Brooks: "I was sitting at center ice and Mac was carrying the puck in almost slow motion down the right side. He wheeled deliberately behind the net, taking a very wide turn, legs fairly wide. Then, he crossed the goal line and made a terrific pass to a wide-open Neal Broten." Then, a pause: "Game over. On their way!"

Other fans had other favorites, especially in the 84-game 1993-94 season when the Devils completed the schedule with a then-franchise record 47 wins, 25 losses and 12 ties for 106 points.

They then ousted Buffalo in a melodramatic seven-game series before taking on the Bruins.

The six-game series was tailor-made for MacLean's clutch-ability. His two goals were decisive in the 5-3 series-clincher. "It was like old times," said a jubilant Johnny Mac now with the sobriquet, Old Reliable.

"For all the things Johnny Mac has done for the franchise," said author and Emmy Award-winner George Falkowski, "the next award he deserves is to have his number retired. He's the second-leading scorer in franchise history and he made the jump from the dark days of the early 1980's to the Stanley Cup in 1995."

From a purely historic viewpoint, one can call No. 15 an inimitable Devil. Longtime fans such as Noam Kogen of Manhattan are ready to underline the point. "I look at MacLean as a true pioneer of the Devils. He was the first bonafide star and goal-scorer. Also a true leader who led his team into the 1988 playoffs."

As a Devils goaltender and later a TV analyst and now the club's radio analyst, Resch looks back at the MacLean years with a blend of reverence and professional admiration. Specifically, Chico views Mac as the franchise "turning point" man for any number of reasons.

"For starters," Resch asserts, "he was the breath of fresh air to a franchise that was being suffocated by the successful Islanders and Rangers. As a Devil at the time, I was wondering how we were going to get an identity. It was John's heroics that made it possible.

"He brought a terrific scoring skill and a winning personality. We loved his hockey intensity coupled with a fun attitude in the right places. He loved to blast that puck which - when you think of it - gave us wins while giving the fans pure entertainment."

Then, a pause: "John was just what a young franchise in a very competitive market needed most!"