New Jersey Devils Quarter-Century Teams unveiled

With 2025 underway, the NHL is celebrating the best of the past 25 years by revealing Quarter-Century Teams for each of the League's 32 franchises and the Arizona Coyotes.

Each club will be represented by a First Team and Second Team of six players -- three forwards, two defensemen and one goalie -- who played for the franchise from Jan. 1, 2000 - Dec. 31, 2024. The first and second teams were selected by broadcasters, national, local and NHL.com writers who have covered the respective teams, in addition to select former players.

The six players voted to each First Team will be on the ballot for the NHL All Quarter-Century Team that will be chosen via a fan vote that will start in February.

Today, the First and Second Quarter-Century Teams for the New Jersey Devils. Players are listed in alphabetical order.

NEW JERSEY DEVILS QUARTER-CENTURY TEAMS

First Team

Forwards

Patrik Elias

Jack Hughes

Zach Parise

Defensemen

Scott Niedermayer

Scott Stevens

Goalie

Martin Brodeur

Forwards: Elias is by far New Jersey's greatest offensive player in the past quarter-century. He played the most games (1,047) and leads all Devils players in goals (362), assists (552), points (914), power-play goals (103) and short-handed goals (16). He helped the Devils win the Stanley Cup in 2000 and 2003. Parise had 410 points (194 goals, 216 assists) in 502 games. Even though he ranks 14th in games played with New Jersey since the turn of the century, he's third in goals over this stretch and was a dynamic offensive competitor for the organization from 2005 to 2012, serving as captain in 2011-12. Hughes has made an incredible impact in just six seasons since becoming the first player from USA Hockey's National Team Development Program to move directly to the NHL in 2019-20. From the start of the 2019-20 season through Dec. 31, 2024, he is second among all New Jersey skaters with 327 points (129 goals, 198 assists) and first in points-per game (0.95; minimum two games) in 346 games.

Defensemen: Stevens, inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2007, left a lasting impression in his 13 seasons with the Devils, serving as captain for three Stanley Cup championships (1995, 2000, 2003), all the while becoming the most physically intimidating player at his position. Stevens, who won the Conn Smythe Trophy as MVP of the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2000, had 96 points (21 goals, 75 assists) and averaged 23:40 of ice time in 323 games in the past quarter-century. Niedermayer, a 2013 Hockey Hall of Fame inductee, was also named to the Anaheim Ducks Quarter-Century First Team. He had 177 points (46 goals, 131 assists), 16 power-play goals, 17 game-winning goals and averaged a whopping 24:29 of ice time in 329 games from 2000 to 2004 in New Jersey, adding two Stanley Cup titles to the one he won in New Jersey in 1995.

Goalie: Simply put, Brodeur was dominant.

The NHL’s all-time leader in wins (691), racked up 467 of them with the Devils in the quarter-century, playing in 850 games and leading the Devils to two more (2000, 2003) Stanley Cup championships following their first title in 1995. Brodeur was 467-280-49, with 44 ties, a 2.26 goals-against average, .912 save percentage and franchise-leading 86 shutouts.

Second Team

Forwards

Scott Gomez

Jamie Langenbrunner

Travis Zajac

Defensemen

Andy Greene

Brian Rafalski

Goalie

Cory Schneider

Forwards: Gomez won the Stanley Cup twice with the Devils (2000, 2003). He won the Calder Trophy as NHL rookie of the year in 1999-2000, and had 449 points (114 goals, 335 assists) in 569 games with the Devils the past quarter-century. Langenbrunner was part of the Devils’ 2003 championship, and had 385 points (142 goals, 243 assists) in 564 games with New Jersey. Zajac was selected by the Devils in the first round (No. 20) of the 2004 NHL Draft and played all but 13 of his 1,037 NHL games with New Jersey. His 1,024 games played with the Devils in the quarter-century are second in behind Elias. He's second in points (550), goals (202) and assists (348).

Defensemen: Greene debuted with the Devils on January 12, 2007, and spent 14 seasons with the club. He was Devils captain five seasons and helped them get to the Stanley Cup Final in 2012, losing a six-game series to the Los Angeles Kings. In the past quarter-century, he leads all Devils defensemen in games played (923), is second in goals (49) and is third in assists (197) and points (246). Rafalski made his Devils debut on April 13, 2000, and won the Stanley Cup twice with the Devils (2000, 2003). He has the most assists (255) and points (298) by a New Jersey defenseman the past quarter-century and is fourth in goals (43). He was a plus-93 in 505 games, second to Stevens (+95).

Goalie: Schneider was 115-133-50 with a 2.50 goals-against average and a .915 save percentage in 311 games over seven seasons with the Devils (2013-20). His 17 shutouts over that span rank second among Devils goalies.

Coming Thursday: Detroit Red Wings Quarter-Century Teams