1994–95 New Jersey Devils season

The 1994–95 New Jersey Devils season was the 21st season for the National Hockey League (NHL) franchise that was established on June 11, 1974, and 13th season since the franchise relocated from Colorado prior to the 1982–83 NHL season. Although they played an abbreviated 48-game season, shortened by the 1994–95 NHL lockout, the Devils won their first Stanley Cup championship in franchise history.

The Devils entered the 1995 Stanley Cup playoffs as the second seed in the Atlantic Division and the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference. The Devils eventually swept the heavily favored Detroit Red Wings in the Stanley Cup Finals.

Preseason

After a 5–2–2 preseason record, the Devils, along with the rest of NHL players, were locked-out from October 1, 1994, to January 11, 1995.

Regular season

During the regular season, the Devils scored the fewest power-play goals (22) and had the fewest power-play opportunities in the NHL, with just 164. They were also the least penalized team, being shorthanded only 149 times.

Standings

Schedule and results

Preseason

|- | 1 || September 11 || New Jersey || 5–4 || Philadelphia || || || || 1–0–0 || W |- | 2 || September 12 || New Jersey || 1–3 || Pittsburgh || || || || 1–1–0 || L |- | 3 || September 15 || New Jersey || 3–2 || Boston || || || || 2–1–0 || W |- | 4 || September 16 || New Jersey || 3–4 || N.Y. Rangers || || || || 2–2–0 || L |- | 5 || September 20 || New Jersey || 4–1 || N.Y. Islanders || || || || 3–2–0 || W |- | 6 || September 21 || Philadelphia || 1–4 || New Jersey || || || || 4–2–0 || W |- | 7 || September 23 || N.Y. Islanders || 1–4 || New Jersey || || || || 5–2–0 || W |- | 8 || September 25 || New Jersey || 3–3 || Hartford || OT || || || 5–1–0 || T |- | 9 || September 27 || N.Y. Rangers || 2–2 || New Jersey || OT || || || 5–2–2 || T |- | colspan="11" style="text-align:center;"| Notes:<br> Game was played at Knickerbocker Arena in Albany, New York. |-

|- | Legend:

Regular season

|- | 1 || January 22 || New Jersey || 2–2 || Hartford || OT || Brodeur || 12,054 || 0–0–1 || 1 || |- | 2 || January 25 || New Jersey || 1–2 || Buffalo || || Brodeur || 16,232 || 0–1–1 || 1 || |- | 3 || January 26 || New Jersey || 0–1 || Boston || OT || Terreri || 13,842 || 0–2–1 || 1 || |- | 4 || January 28 || New Jersey || 1–5 || Montreal || || Brodeur || 16,354 || 0–3–1 || 1 || |- | 5 || January 31 || Buffalo || 1–2 || New Jersey || || Brodeur || 16,311 || 1–3–1 || 3 || |-

|- | 6 || February 2 || Quebec || 4–5 || New Jersey || || Brodeur || 12,096 || 2–3–1 || 5 || |- | 7 || February 4 || New Jersey || 0–2 || Quebec || || Terreri || 13,220 || 2–4–1 || 5 || |- | 8 || February 5 || Pittsburgh || 3–3 || New Jersey || OT || Brodeur || 15,280 || 2–4–2 || 6 || |- | 9 || February 9 || N.Y. Rangers || 1–4 || New Jersey || || Brodeur || 19,040 || 3–4–2 || 8 || |- | 10 || February 11 || Philadelphia || 3–1 || New Jersey || || Terreri || 19,040 || 3–5–2 || 8 || |- | 11 || February 12 || New Jersey || 4–2 || Florida || || Brodeur || 14,375 || 4–5–2 || 10 || |- | 12 || February 15 || Washington || 2–4 || New Jersey || || Brodeur || 11,970 || 5–5–2 || 12 || |- | 13 || February 17 || N.Y. Islanders || 2–2 || New Jersey || OT || Brodeur || 18,501 || 5–5–3 || 13 || |- | 14 || February 18 || New Jersey || 2–3 || N.Y. Islanders || || Terreri || 15,671 || 5–6–3 || 13 || |- | 15 || February 20 || New Jersey || 2–0 || Washington || || Brodeur || 10,761 || 6–6–3 || 15 || |- | 16 || February 23 || Boston || 3–2 || New Jersey || || Brodeur || 15,411 || 6–7–3 || 15 || |- | 17 || February 25 || Washington || 3–3 || New Jersey || OT || Brodeur || 16,832 || 6–7–4 || 16 || |- | 18 || February 27 || Montreal || 1–6 || New Jersey || || Terreri || 14,005 || 7–7–4 || 18 || |-

|- | 19 || March 2 || New Jersey || 2–7 || Boston || || Terreri || 14,448 || 7–8–4 || 18 || |- | 20 || March 4 || Florida || 1–6 || New Jersey || || Brodeur || 18,005 || 8–8–4 || 20 || |- | 21 || March 6 || New Jersey || 3–6 || Quebec || || Brodeur || 13,178 || 8–9–4 || 20 || |- | 22 || March 8 || New Jersey || 4–6 || N.Y. Rangers || || Brodeur || 18,200 || 8–10–4 || 20 || |- | 23 || March 10 || New Jersey || 3–2 || Tampa Bay || || Brodeur || 23,649 || 9–10–4 || 22 || |- | 24 || March 12 || New Jersey || 3–4 || Philadelphia || || Brodeur || 17,380 || 9–11–4 || 22 || |- | 25 || March 14 || Ottawa || 2–4 || New Jersey || || Brodeur || 13,234 || 10–11–4 || 24 || |- | 26 || March 16 || Hartford || 2–2 || New Jersey || OT || Brodeur || 16,032 || 10–11–5 || 25 || |- | 27 || March 18 || Tampa Bay || 2–1 || New Jersey || || Brodeur || 17,690 || 10–12–5 || 25 || |- | 28 || March 19 || Boston || 3–4 || New Jersey || OT || Terreri || 16,172 || 11–12–5 || 27 || |- | 29 || March 22 || New Jersey || 5–2 || N.Y. Rangers || || Brodeur || 18,200 || 12–12–5 || 29 || |- | 30 || March 24 || New Jersey || 2–5 || Pittsburgh || || Brodeur || 17,181 || 12–13–5 || 29 || |- | 31 || March 26 || New Jersey || 5–5 || N.Y. Islanders || OT || Terreri || 15,418 || 12–13–6 || 30 || |- | 32 || March 29 || New Jersey || 4–2 || Ottawa || || Brodeur || 9,582 || 13–13–6 || 32 || |- | 33 || March 30 || New Jersey || 4–3 || Philadelphia || || Brodeur || 17,380 || 14–13–6 || 34 || |-

|- | 34 || April 1 || Montreal || 1–4 || New Jersey || || Brodeur || 19,040 || 15–13–6 || 36 || |- | 35 || April 4 || Tampa Bay || 1–1 || New Jersey || OT || Terreri || 13,735 || 15–13–7 || 37 || |- | 36 || April 5 || New Jersey || 2–0 || Ottawa || || Brodeur || 9,251 || 16–13–7 || 39 || |- | 37 || April 9 || N.Y. Rangers || 0–2 || New Jersey || || Brodeur || 19,040 || 17–13–7 || 41 || |- | 38 || April 10 || New Jersey || 1–2 || Montreal || || Brodeur || 16,479 || 17–14–7 || 41 || |- | 39 || April 12 || New Jersey || 2–1 || Washington || || Brodeur || 13,248 || 18–14–7 || 43 || |- | 40 || April 14 || N.Y. Islanders || 3–6 || New Jersey || || Brodeur || 19,040 || 19–14–7 || 45 || |- | 41 || April 16 || Hartford || 2–3 || New Jersey || || Brodeur || 13,613 || 20–14–7 || 47 || |- | 42 || April 18 || New Jersey || 2–3 || Tampa Bay || || Terreri || 18,202 || 20–15–7 || 47 || |- | 43 || April 20 || New Jersey || 0–1 || Florida || || Brodeur || 14,389 || 20–16–7 || 47 || |- | 44 || April 22 || Philadelphia || 4–3 || New Jersey || OT || Brodeur || 19,040 || 20–17–7 || 47 || |- | 45 || April 26 || Pittsburgh || 3–3 || New Jersey || OT || Brodeur || 17,174 || 20–17–8 || 48 || |- | 46 || April 28 || Florida || 1–3 || New Jersey || || Brodeur || 16,676 || 21–17–8 || 50 || |- | 47 || April 30 || Quebec || 2–4 || New Jersey || || Brodeur || 16,129 || 22–17–8 || 52 || |-

|- | 48 || May 3 || New Jersey || 4–5 || Buffalo || || Terreri || 15,304 || 22–18–8 || 52 || |-

|- | Legend:

Playoffs

|- | 1 || May 7 || New Jersey || 5–0 || Boston || || Brodeur || 14,448 || Devils lead 1–0 || |- | 2 || May 8 || New Jersey || 3–0 || Boston || || Brodeur || 14,448 || Devils lead 2–0 || |- | 3 || May 10 || Boston || 3–2 || New Jersey || || Brodeur || 16,523 || Devils lead 2–1 || |- | 4 || May 12 || Boston || 0–1 || New Jersey || OT || Brodeur || 19,040 || Devils lead 3–1 || |- | 5 || May 14 || New Jersey || 3–2 || Boston || || Brodeur || 14,448 || Devils win 4–1 || |-

|- | 1 || May 20 || New Jersey || 2–3 || Pittsburgh || || Brodeur || 16,643 || Penguins lead 1–0 || |- | 2 || May 22 || New Jersey || 4–2 || Pittsburgh || || Brodeur || 16,817 || Series tied 1–1 || |- | 3 || May 24 || Pittsburgh || 1–5 || New Jersey || || Brodeur || 18,139 || Devils lead 2–1 || |- | 4 || May 26 || Pittsburgh || 1–2 || New Jersey || OT || Brodeur || 19,040 || Devils lead 3–1 || |- | 5 || May 28 || New Jersey || 4–1 || Pittsburgh || || Brodeur || 17,187 || Devils win 4–1 || |-

|- | 1 || June 3 || New Jersey || 4–1 || Philadelphia || || Brodeur || 17,380 || Devils lead 1–0 || |- | 2 || June 5 || New Jersey || 5–2 || Philadelphia || || Brodeur || 17,380 || Devils lead 2–0 || |- | 3 || June 7 || Philadelphia || 3–2 || New Jersey || OT || Brodeur || 19,040 || Devils lead 2–1 || |- | 4 || June 10 || Philadelphia || 4–2 || New Jersey || || Brodeur || 19,040 || Series tied 2–2 || |- | 5 || June 11 || New Jersey || 3–2 || Philadelphia || || Brodeur || 17,380 || Devils lead 3–2 || |- | 6 || June 13 || Philadelphia || 2–4 || New Jersey || || Brodeur || 19,040 || Devils win 4–2 || |-

|- | 1 || June 17 || New Jersey || 2–1 || Detroit || || Brodeur || 19,875 || Devils lead 1–0 || |- | 2 || June 20 || New Jersey || 4–2 || Detroit || || Brodeur || 19,875 || Devils lead 2–0 || |- | 3 || June 22 || Detroit || 2–5 || New Jersey || || Brodeur || 19,040 || Devils lead 3–0 || |- | 4 || June 24 || Detroit || 2–5 || New Jersey || || Brodeur || 19,040 || Devils win 4–0 || |-

|- | Legend:

Player statistics

Scoring

• <small>Position abbreviations: C = Center; D = Defense; G = Goaltender; LW = Left wing; RW = Right wing</small>
• <small> = Joined team via a transaction (e.g., trade, waivers, signing) during the season. Stats reflect time with the Devils only.</small>
• <small> = Left team via a transaction (e.g., trade, waivers, release) during the season. Stats reflect time with the Devils only.</small>

Goaltending

Awards and records

Awards

Milestones

Transactions

The Devils have been involved in the following transactions during the 1994–95 season.

Trades

Free agents

Draft picks

Below are the New Jersey Devils' selections at the 1994 NHL entry draft, which was held on June 28 and 29, 1994.

Media

Television coverage of the season was carried on SportsChannel New York and SportsChannel New York Plus, with Mike Emrick and Spencer Ross handling play-by-play duties and Peter McNab providing color commentary. On the radio, the games were broadcast on WABC–AM 770, with Mike Miller describing the play and Sherry Ross providing color commentary.

Notes

References