Monthly Archives: June 2011
New Jersey Devils and New York Islanders join for Social Media Day
Happy Social Media Day! I bet you didn’t know this day existed, but the Devils Generals are all about social media so we have to celebrate it. Mashable, the leading company in the social and digital media field, claimed June 30th of 2011 Social Media Day to celebrate the impact it has on everyone’s lives. We build friendships, make connections and even do business via social media thanks to websites like Facebook, Twitter and Foursquare.
There are events and “meet-ups” being held across the country and the New Jersey Devils are hosting one – with the New York Islanders.
Put our rivalry aside, just for tonight, and join us at Twins Pub in Manhattan for food, fun and hockey talk. We’ll of course have raffles, prizes and special guest appearances including a visit from our own Ken Daneyko. The party starts at 7:30PM, make sure to RSVP and get your free ticket. And don’t worry, all ages are welcome. See you there!
Here’s what you need to know:
Where: Twins Pub (421 9th Ave, New York)
When: 7:30PM
RSVP: Register and get your free ticket
2011 Hockey Hall of Fame Announced
Joe Nieuwendyk
The Hockey Hall of Fame announced on Tuesday that Joe Nieuwendyk, Ed Belfour, Doug Gilmour, and Mark Howe will be inducted into hockey immortality. Pat Burns, who died in November of last year, was left out again despite remarkable credentials.
First, the future inductees. Ed Belfour won the Stanley Cup in 1999 and ranks third all time in the NHL in wins by a goalie. Belfour’s 484 victories and 79 shutouts certainly make him worthy of Hall of Fame consideration. He won a gold medal for Canada in 2002, and a national championship in college. A winner at all levels, “Eddie the Eagle” got the nod.
His Stanley Cup teammate, and former New Jersey Devil, Joe Niewendyk also made the Hall. He was the Conn Smythe winner in 1999 with Belfour on the Dallas Stars and won three cups in total. Nieuwendyk won with Calgary in 1989 and the New Jersey Devils in 2003.
Doug Gilmour
Gilmour, another former Devil, had 127 points for Toronto in 1993 and won the league’s MVP award. Gilmour played 20 NHL seasons including a stint with the Devils. He had 450 goals and 964 assists. Mark Howe had 764 points in his career, which is less than Gilmour’s assist total, due largely to his five years playing professional hockey outside the NHL. Howe played there with his brother and father, Gordie Howe. He had four all-star appearances when he finally joined the NHL.
Left off the list is Pat Burns who died after missing out on the Hall of Fame last year. Burns is the only coach in the NHL to win the Jack Adams award for best coach in the league in his first year with three different teams. He led the New Jersey Devils to the 2003 Stanley Cup championship and won coach of the year with the Bruins and Canadiens as well. Burns made the playoffs in every season he finished except for one, 2000 with the Boston Bruins. He coached over 1000 games, winning more than 500 of them in a career that was cut short by cancer.
What do you guys think of Pat Burns not getting into the Hall of Fame?
And the New Jersey Devils select… Adam Larsson!
What a roller coaster year this has been for us Devils fans. First with the terrible start to the season. Then an uplifting second half with high hopes to get back in the playoff race. Finding, that despite our team never giving up, those hopes are just slightly out of reach. And finally, winning the draft pick lottery, and rising in the ranks to the number 4 spot! For the first time in what seemed like an eternity, the hockey gods blessed us against the odds.
Whatever deities we pleased, apparently were still smiling upon us on June 24th. There was no doubt that the Devils Army was hoping we would snatch up Adam Larsson. The fans packed Lafayette Street along side the Prudential Center to celebrate draft day and those fans who were working checked their phones feverishly for updates. The crowd went through a similar roller coaster of emotions when the teams finally started making their picks – moments of silence followed by cheering and sighs of relief when Adam Larsson was not selected. Our turn finally came, and lo and behold the best puck moving defenseman in the draft was still up for grabs! Everyone exploded with excitement, we got Larsson!
I couldn’t have been more excited that Adam Larsson would be joining us in New Jersey! Reported to be one of the top skaters in the European leagues, and coming in at a solid 6′ 3″ and 220 lbs, he is physically ready and able to join the pros. With his puck moving and smart decision making skills, he has the potential to fill what many feel is a much needed vacancy in our defensive line-up.
I am looking forward to this season getting underway so I can check out his playing style! If he’s anything like our other Swedish players (especially our little fire cracker, Tedenby), I have a feeling I’m going to like what I see!
What was YOUR reaction to our draft day excitement?
2011-12 New Jersey Devils Schedule: Games To Watch For
Ever since that Sunday in April, Devils fans were chomping at the bit to know when they’d get their hockey back. Well wait no more! October 8, 2011 is the day we can all return to The Rock as the Devils take on the Flyers. In addition to that game I’ve listed some of the more important games to look forward to this year. Read the rest of this entry
2011 NHL Awards Recap
The 2011 NHL Awards were not without controversy. Nicklas Lidstrom stole the Norris from Shea Weber and Zdeno Chara despite his -2 differential on the year. Ryan Kesler finally won the Selke, Corey Perry deservedly took home the MVP Hart Trophy, and Tim Thomas got the Vezina. Without further ado, here are the voting results for the finalists of the major awards:
NORRIS: Lidstrom (736), Weber (727), Chara (688)
SELKE: Kesler (1.179), Toews (476), Datsuyk (348)
ADAMS: Bylsma (196), Vigneault (169), Trotz (80)
CALDER: Skinner (1,055), Couture (908), Grabner (497)
GM OF THE YEAR: Gillis (96), Yzerman (61), Poile (55)
LADY BYNG: St. Louis (994), Lidstrom (464), Eriksson (347)
VEZINA: Thomas (104), Rinne (84), Luongo (33)
HART: Perry (1,043), Sedin (960), St. Louis (332)
Roberto Luongo’s season was rewarded as part of some goalie tandem award, and I’m sure drinking from it will be just as sweet as the Stanley Cup he almost won.
Zdeno Chara won the Mark Messier leadership award, but finished third for the Norris. I don’t think anyone feels too badly for him after the way the Bruins’ season finished.
Dustin Brown best embodied the NHL’s core principals and won the NHL Foundation Award.
I got six predictions right, which is better than I did for my Oscars picks. Dan Bylsma did amazing things with a depleted Penguins roster, and I’m glad to see him rewarded. I thought Yzerman filled the holes in the Tampa Bay Lightning incredibly well, and was robbed for GM of the year.
Speaking of rookies, Jeff Skinner won the Calder and he deserved it after an exciting season for the Hurricanes.
Tim Thomas got the Vezina after setting the record for best saves percentage in a season, in what was probably the least surprising award of the night.
Congratulations to all the players that were awarded. Now, on to the draft!
2011 NHL Draft Prospect Preview: Gabriel Landeskog
Three of the Devils’ last four first round picks have been forwards from Sweden. So if Director of Scouting David Conte calls Stockholm native Gabriel Landeskog to the stage on June 24, one may be tempted to expect more of the same. However, Landeskog is a much different player than his countrymen, and actually fits the profile of a typical Canadian or American player.
Landeskog began his hockey career with Djurgårdens IF, the same club where current Devils prospects Jacob Josefson and Alexander Urbom got their starts. But after just two seasons, he left Sweden for the Ontario Hockey League and has played for the Kitchener Rangers ever since. As a result, the 6’0, 201 lb right-winger will go into this year’s draft as a North American player, and is second to Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, not Adam Larsson, in Central Scouting’s final rankings.
The Devils are already very well stocked up front, but Landeskog has some unique qualities to his game that may allow him to climb up the depth chart fairly quickly. He is a skilled offensive player, but loves to play an aggressive and physical game. In 53 regular season contests with Kitchener, he scored 36 goals and 30 assists for 66 points while racking up 61 penalty minutes and three fighting majors in the process.
Landeskog had a strong showing in the playoffs as well. Although the Rangers were unable to get past the first round, he recorded six goals and four assists in a series that went to seven games. He was also selected to Sweden’s World Junior team this past winter, and was named an alternate captain, but played only one game due to a high-ankle sprain. He did, however, tally a goal and an assist in that game.
In the intangibles department, Landeskog has it all. He is a natural leader who can spark his team with his strong work ethic and intensity. He is also very well spoken, without a hint of an accent, and makes his presence known on the bench and in the locker room. Often compared to former Kitchener Ranger and current Philadelphia Flyers’ captain Mike Richards, he was handed the “C” as a 17-year-old, and could find himself wearing a letter early on in his professional career.
By all aspects, Landeskog is the most NHL-ready prospect in this year’s draft. He already possesses the build, maturity, and talent to play in the NHL. If he does land in New Jersey, it’s certainly possible that he’ll be on the Devils’ opening night roster. He may start out on the third or fourth line, but he could compliment scoring wingers such as Ilya Kovalchuk and Zach Parise on the top two lines in the future.
| Regular Season | Playoffs | ||||||||||||
| SEASON | TEAM | Lge | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | +/- | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 2008-09 | DIF | SEL | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2009-10 | KR | OHL |
61 | 24 | 22 | 46 | 51 | 0 | 20 | 8 | 15 | 23 | 18 |
| 2010-11 | KR |
OHL |
53 | 36 | 30 | 66 | 61 | 27 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 10 | 4 |
Player Profile: Patrik Elias
NUMBER: 26
HEIGHT: 6′ 1″
WEIGHT: 195
POSITION: Left Wing
SHOOTS: Left
BORN: April 13, 1976
BIRTHPLACE: Trebic, Czech Republic
Patrik Elias is a favorite among many New Jersey Devils fans. After being drafted by the Devils in 1994, Elias has set a few franchise records, including all-time leading scorer, most points in a seaso and most career game-winning goals, to name a few. He also played a role in winning the 2000 Stanley Cup Championship with an assist to Jason Arnott’s game winning goal during double overtime in Game 6 at Dallas. And let’s not forget his second Cup with the Devils in 2003.
The 2004-05 NHL lockout came and went but Elias didn’t miss a step. He played in for Czech Republic and when the Devils were back in action, he was placed on a line with Brian Gionta and Scott Gomez and was part of a historic comeback to win the Atlantic Division title. He was named captain in 2006, before Jaime Langenbrunner took the title in 2007. Elias currently wears the A.
In March of 2009, Elias became the Devils’ all-time leading scorer when he recorded his 702nd point with an assist to Brian Gionta’s game winning goal against the Chicago Blackhawks. It was that goal that gave Martin Brodeur his record-breaking 552nd win.
There is no denying his talent and puck handling ability. After a rocky first half of the season, Elias was the only Devil in the 2011 NHL All-Star game, making it his third all-star appearance. In the 2010-2011 season, Elias recorded his 800th career point against the Hurricanes and his 8th hat trick to help defeat the Flyers.
Outside of New Jersey he’s won two bronze World Champsionship medals in 1998 and 2011.
Current Franchise Records:
New Jersey Devils record for most points in one season: 96
New Jersey Devils record for most points in a playoff season: 23
New Jersey Devils all-time leader in playoff goals (40), assists (77), and points (117)
New Jersey Devils record for hat tricks: 8
New Jersey Devils record for career assists: 440
New Jersey Devils record for career points: 800
New Jersey Devils record for game winning goals: 66
| 2010-2011 Season Stats | ||||||||||
| GP | G | A | P | +/- | PIM | PP | SH | GW | S | S% |
| 81 | 21 | 41 | 62 | -4 | 16 | 7 | 1 | 5 | 204 | 10.3 |
What was in the Bruins’ “bru?”
“For the first time in 39 years, the Boston Bruins have won the Stanley Cup!”
The Stanley Cup Finals. It pits the two “best” teams in the league up against each other for a chance to lift Lord Stanley’s Cup. The most exciting time of the season.
When you hear Stanley Cup Finals, you think overtime hockey. You think close, exciting games. You dream of that game seven overtime goal.
At the end of game one, this is what we thought we were going to have as the audience. Raffi Torres scoring the game-winning goal for Vancouver with 18.5 seconds left in the third period. A final score of 1-0. One of the most exciting game one’s I have ever seen.
Game two was no different, with overtime being forced and Alex Burrows scoring the second quickest goal in SCF history, at 11 seconds.
Game three was do or die for the Bruins. Boston wasn’t going down without a fight as they romped the Canucks, 8-1.
Since that third game, the verdict of the series was evident. Boston was going to win. Boston was clearly outplaying the Canucks. In the games that Boston won, they outscored the Canucks 25-3. In the games the Canucks won, the difference was 5-2. Meaning, the Bruins scored 27 goals this series, while Vancouver only scored eight. Lopsided offense much?
The Bruins were also able to do something almost unheard of in the Stanley Cup Finals. They were able to chase the Canucks’ star goaltender, Roberto Luongo, from the game. You want your best players to be just that, your BEST players. Luongo was not the Canucks best player this series, on or off the ice. Karma struck Luongo after he criticized Tim Thomas’ playing style, as he gave up three goals within the first nine minutes of game six.
This Stanley Cup Final also saw the Canucks lose, even though they never trailed in any of their other playoff series.
To sum it up, congrats to the Bruins. They were clearly the best team this off-season. Their on-ice product is something other teams need to look at and try to duplicate. Claude Julien, former Devils coach, knows how to run a successful organization.
And a special congrats to Tim Thomas for becoming only the second American-born player in history to win the Conn Smythe Trophy (the other was Brian Leetch in 94, against the Canucks. I see a pattern).
PS: It doesn’t hurt to think of it this way: The Devils beat the Bruins in the final game of the regular season. Therefore the Devils beat the Stanley Cup Champions. Therefore, the Devils are the true champions.
Stanley Cup Game 7 – Get The Heart Pills Ready
Game. Seven.
Two words that you never want to hear if your team is involved in it. Tonight will be the final game of the NHL season. There is no tomorrow. At about 10:45pm EST (barring overtime, God forbid) we will know who will be raising Lord Stanley’s Cup. I, myself, have been lucky enough to have gone to two Game 7′s in my life. One on the good end, and one on the bad end. Read the rest of this entry
2011 NHL Entry Draft Party at The Rock
It’s that time of year. The 2011 NHL Entry Draft is just around the corner and with the New Jersey Devils having 4th pick, it’s going to be a pretty exciting one to watch! Every year the Prudential Center hosts an NHL Draft party for the fans to come in and watch the picks live. There are games and activities for the little kids and a chance for the big kids to get their hands on some hockey equipment. Think Fan Fest, but better! You should also keep an eye out for a few Devils Alumni.
The first round of the draft starts at 7PM at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota. Our party starts at 5PM and will be held outside on Mulberry Street as well as inside the Amerihealth Pavilion at the Prudential Center on the night of the draft, Friday, June 24th. Head over to NewJerseyDevils.com to get your free tickets (check over on the right hand side).
In the meantime, check out a couple of the top prospects, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Adam Larsson. Who do you think we should aim for?
See you on draft day!
