New Jersey Devils Memorabilia Buying Guide

By Sean J. O'Rourke

Since their move to New Jersey in 1982, the New Jersey Devils have become arguably the most successful franchise in all of NHL hockey. After suffering through misery as a young franchise playing in Kansas City from 1974-1976 and in Denver from 1975-1981, the team was moved to New Jersey in 1982 by owner Arthur Imperatore. Local newspapers in New Jersey held a contest through which readers named the team the Devils. Immediate success didn't come with the change of scenery as the Devils flirted with .500 record through most of the late 1980's. After a series of player and personnel changes, Jacques Lemaire, a former coach of the Montreal Canadians took over the role of head coach in 1993. With a lineup that included Scott Stevens, Scott Niedermayer and Ken Daneyko, forwards Stephane Richer, John MacLean, Bobby Holik and Claude Lemieux, and goaltenders Chris Terreri and Martin Brodeur, the team completed their first 100-point season. They would go on to play their cross-river rivals—The New York Rangers—in the Eastern Conference Finals in the spring of 1994.  The series went on for a full seven games. The Rangers defeated the Devils in double overtime of the final game in what many hockey fans consider one of the greatest playoff matches of all time.

The Devils would have their glory the following year, as the team beat the Philadelphia Flyers 4-2 in the Eastern Conference Finals before sweeping the heavily-favored Detroit Red Wings in the Stanley Cup Finals to win their first-ever championship. Since that historic defeat of the Red Wings, the Devils have gone on to win two more Stanley Cup Championships in 2000 and 2003.

The centerpiece for any great team in the NHL is a great, stand-out goaltender. The New Jersey Devils have just that. Goaltender Martin Brodeur's resume is beyond impressive and his status as (arguably) the greatest goalie in the history of the NHL makes the demand for his memorabilia equally compelling. The three-time Stanley Cup Champion has always had a great demand for products associated with him and as his place in the NHL's record books grows more common, so does the necessity for Brodeur's authentic memorabilia for every serious collector.  Here are five items every Devils fan should have in their collection.

• MARTIN BRODEUR WHITE REEBOK REPLICA DEVILS JERSEY: The 3-time Stanley Cup Champion goalie is currently the second-winningest goalkeeper in NHL history and well on pace to surpass Patrick Roy. Brodeur is widely recognized as the greatest goalie in NHL history as few others can even be mentioned in the same sentence. He is a 3-time winner of the NHL's Vezina Trophy, awarded to the best goalie each season. Brodeur hand-signed this white Reebok New Jersey Devils Jersey, which given his sure-fire Hall of Fame status makes a great centerpiece for any collection.

• SIGNED MARTIN BRODEUR PHOTOGRAPH 8x10 2004 NET CAM: A great centerpiece for any hockey fan's collection. This is an 8x10" high-quality photograph showing the great Martin Brodeur in his element; protecting the net for the New Jersey Devils. The all-time great goalie has hand-signed this photograph along with including his number 30. The 3-time winner of the NHL's Vezina Trophy and 9-time NHL All-Star is one of hockey's all-time greatest players.

• ZACH PARISE AUTOGRAPHED PUCK: Here's the chance to own a New Jersey Devils puck hand-signed by one of the NHL's quickest ascending stars: New Jersey Devils Center; Zach Parise. The Devils took Parise with the 17th pick of the first round in the NHL Draft of 2003 and he debuted for the team in October of 2005. He is one of the NHL's best young talents and looks to continue on the success of the New Jersey Devils franchise.

• MARTIN BRODEUR SIGNED PHOTO 8x10 2000 STANLEY CUP: This is a great shot of New Jersey Devils' goaltender and future Hall of Famer Martin Brodeur hoisting his second Stanley Cup Trophy after winning the NHL Finals in 2000.  In the 2002 postseason, Brodeur showed why many hockey enthusiasts consider him the greatest goaltender of all time. 'Marty' gave up only 6 goals in 4 games in the first round against the Florida Panthers before recording 2 shutouts in the Devils' second round matchup with the Toronto Maple Leafs. With his team's back up against the wall, down 3-1 to the rival Flyers in the Eastern Conference Finals, Brodeur allowed only one game in each game as the Devils came back to beat Philadelphia and advance on to the Stanley Cup Finals to play the Dallas Stars. In that series Brodeur was excellent, giving up only 6 goals in the final 5 games after a game 1 blowout notching his second Stanley Cup Championship.

• SCOTT STEVENS SIGNED JERSEY - AUTHENTIC: 2007 Hall of Fame inductee Scott Stevens is a 3-time NHL Stanley Cup Champion who is widely regarded as one of the greatest defensemen in the history of hockey. Stevens is considered the greatest player in New Jersey Devils franchise history. His clean yet high-impact hits have been some of the hardest hockey has ever seen, including all but ending the career of NHL great Eric Lindros during the 2000 Eastern Conference Finals. Stevens was the captain of the Devils from 1992 until his retirement in 2004. Over that span the Devils won the NHL Championship 3 times, including Stevens himself being honored in 2000 with the Conn Smythe Trophy, recognizing him as the playoffs' MVP. Stevens was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame on November 12, 2007.  Scott Stevens hand-signed this NHL Authentic New Jersey Devils Jersey on the base of his number: 4, which was the first number retired by the Devils' franchise on February 3rd, 2006. This is the perfect centerpiece for any-sized hockey collection based upon Stevens' career success and recent Hall of Fame induction.

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