Five players were a part of all three New Jersey Devils Stanley Cup teams (1995, 2000, 2003): Scott Stevens, Ken Daneyko, Sergei Brylin, Martin Brodeur and Scott Niedermayer. Brodeur is the only active player remaining, and two of those players have had their jerseys risen to the rafters. Now, according to Tom Gulitti of Fire and Ice, that exclusive group could gain a new member, as the Devils are reportedly planning Scott Niedermayer Night at the Prudential Center next season. The reported date could be December 16th against the Dallas Stars.
The future Hall of Fame defenseman ranks sixth on the Devils' all-time games played list (892), fourth in franchise points (475), second in assists (364), third in plus/minus (+172), fifth in power play goals (51) and tied for ninth in game-winning goals (26). Niedermayer spent 12 full seasons in a Devils uniform, and as mentioned before, won all three of the franchise's Stanley Cup championships. During the Devils' 2003 championship run, Niedermayer led all skaters with 18 points in 24 playoff games. He also won a fourth Stanley Cup with his brother, Rob, as an Anaheim Duck in 2007.
As also mentioned earlier, Niedermayer joins fellow defensemen Ken Daneyko and Scott Stevens as the only players the franchise has ever honored by retiring their number. Of course, looking down the road, players such as Martin Brodeur and Patrik Elias could eventually join that list, but Niedermayer remains in an exclusive group of players who helped transform the Devils from cellar dwellers to perennial championship contenders. During Niedermayer's reign with the Devils, no NHL team won more championships than the Devils did from 1993 through 2004.
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