Top 5 American Devils Players of All-Time

Andy Greene doesn’t have the scoring totals that typically come with being considered an all-time great player, but his longevity and service to the organization are unmatched. The Michigan native worked his way from an undersized, undrafted free agent, to over 1,000 career games including 923 with the Devils. Over those 923 games he registered 246 points, but more importantly, was a stable presence on the backend and captained the team through a difficult rebuild from 2015-2020.

Greene transformed his game from an offensive defenseman to a shutdown defender and penalty killer. The odds were stacked against him most of his career because of his size, but he managed to carve out a successful career in New Jersey.

4. Jamie Langenbruner

A year after coming over from a trade with the Dallas Stars, Jamie Langenbrunner was a catalyst for the Devils winning the 2003 Stanley Cup. He led the league in points that postseason with 18, and scored a bunch of timely goals that year. Throughout his nine-year tenure in New Jersey, he amassed 385 points in 564 games and was captain from 2007-11.

Langenbrunner was a consistent source of offense during his tenure with the Devils and his leadership in his latter years was highlighted by the famous “ZZ Pops” line of Langenbrunner, and a young Zach Parise and Travis Zajac. The Stanley Cup winner was also captain of Team USA at the 2010 Olympics, where the Americans won a silver medal.

3. Scott Gomez

One of the most electric young Devils players in franchise history, Scott Gomez was an offensive dynamo. Gomez burst onto the scene, winning the 1999-00 Calder Trophy, as well as playing a big role in the Devils winning the Stanley Cup that season. Gomez defied all odds by making it to the NHL out of Anchorage, Alaska, before lighting up the WHL. In his nine years with the Devils, Gomez recorded 484 points, fifth most all-time for the Devils.

Gomez was one of the best playmakers in the league at the time and was four assists shy of sole possession of second-most assists in franchise history. What sours some on Gomez was him jumping ship to the New York Rangers in free agency, but after a brutal tenure there, and a few other stops along the way, Gomez found his way back on the Devils during the 2014-15 season. Gomez will go down as one of the most purely talented forwards in Devils history, and a huge part of their success in the 2000s.

2. Zach Parise

The man who should’ve been number one. While Parise will forever be one of the biggest “what ifs” in  Devils history, there’s no denying his greatness during his seven years with the team. Parise was one of the most talented and influential players on the Devils during his time with the team. He had 410 points in 502 games, including a 45-goal season, as well as numerous Hart, Lady Byng, and Selke votes. Parise was a do-it-all player for the Devils and his hardworking style of play mixed with his raw skill made him the most dangerous player on the ice.

Parise valiantly captained the Devils to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2012, where he and former Devil Ilya Kovalchuk carried the team to within two games of winning it all. Many Devils fans still have disdain towards Parise after his unceremonious exit from the team during the 2012 Free Agency, but nobody could ever say that during his time with the Devils, he was not an elite and beloved player.

1. Brian Rafalski

The Michigan-born Brian Rafalski’s path to the NHL and number one on our Top 5 American Devils of All-Time list is incredibly fascinating. After four years in college and three years playing in Sweden and Finland, the Devils signed Rafalski to the NHL. He quickly became an integral part of two Stanley Cup teams and formed one-third of a formidable Big Three on the backend for the Devils (including Stevens and Niedermayer).

Rafalski is best known for his ability to orchestrate a powerplay and facilitate offense from the backend. Across seven years with the Devils, he played 541 games while scoring 311 points. Undersized and an afterthought early on in his career, Rafalski overcame all odds to thrive in the NHL as an offensive defenseman, winning three Stanley Cups (two with the Devils) and changing the way the position can be played.