1995–96 New Jersey Devils season

The 1995–96 New Jersey Devils season was the 22nd season for the National Hockey League (NHL) franchise that was established on June 11, 1974, and 14th season since the franchise relocated from Colorado prior to the 1982–83 NHL season. After winning the Stanley Cup in the previous season, and qualifying for the playoffs for six seasons, the team failed to make the playoffs for the first time since 1989, losing their last game of the season with a chance to qualify for the postseason. They became the first defending Stanley Cup champions to fail to make the playoffs since the 1969–70 Montreal Canadiens.

Regular season

The Devils were the least penalized team during the regular season, being shorthanded only 319 times. They also had the lowest shooting percentage in the NHL, scoring only 215 goals on 2,636 shots (8.2%).

Final standings

Schedule and results

|- |1||October 7, 1995||4–0 || align="left"| Florida Panthers||1–0–0 || |- |2||October 12, 1995||4–1 || align="left"| Winnipeg Jets||2–0–0 || |- |3||October 14, 1995||4–1 || align="left"| @ Montreal Canadiens||3–0–0 || |- |4||October 15, 1995||4–3 || align="left"| @ Buffalo Sabres||4–0–0 || |- |5||October 17, 1995||1–3 || align="left"| Edmonton Oilers||4–1–0 || |- |6||October 19, 1995||4–2 || align="left"| Detroit Red Wings||5–1–0 || |- |7||October 21, 1995||4–1 || align="left"| Ottawa Senators||6–1–0 || |- |8||October 25, 1995||2–4 || align="left"| Vancouver Canucks||6–2–0 || |- |9||October 28, 1995||3–5 || align="left"| Pittsburgh Penguins||6–3–0 || |- |10||October 31, 1995||1–2 || align="left"| @ Edmonton Oilers||6–4–0 || |-

|- |11||November 2, 1995||3–3 OT|| align="left"| @ San Jose Sharks||6–4–1 || |- |12||November 4, 1995||4–2 || align="left"| @ Los Angeles Kings||7–4–1 || |- |13||November 5, 1995||1–6 || align="left"| @ Mighty Ducks of Anaheim||7–5–1 || |- |14||November 8, 1995||1–2 || align="left"| Calgary Flames||7–6–1 || |- |15||November 11, 1995||4–2 || align="left"| Philadelphia Flyers||8–6–1 || |- |16||November 12, 1995||3–2 || align="left"| @ Philadelphia Flyers||9–6–1 || |- |17||November 14, 1995||1–0 || align="left"| Hartford Whalers||10–6–1 || |- |18||November 16, 1995||2–2 OT|| align="left"| @ Boston Bruins||10–6–2 || |- |19||November 18, 1995||4–5 || align="left"| Buffalo Sabres||10–7–2 || |- |20||November 21, 1995||3–4 || align="left"| @ Florida Panthers||10–8–2 || |- |21||November 22, 1995||1–3 || align="left"| @ Tampa Bay Lightning||10–9–2 || |- |22||November 25, 1995||0–2 || align="left"| @ Dallas Stars||10–10–2 || |- |23||November 27, 1995||1–1 OT|| align="left"| @ New York Rangers||10–10–3 || |- |24||November 29, 1995||4–3 OT|| align="left"| Colorado Avalanche||11–10–3 || |-

|- |25||December 1, 1995||5–1 || align="left"| Tampa Bay Lightning||12–10–3 || |- |26||December 2, 1995||1–4 || align="left"| @ New York Islanders||12–11–3 || |- |27||December 6, 1995||2–4 || align="left"| @ Montreal Canadiens||12–12–3 || |- |28||December 7, 1995||1–2 || align="left"| Toronto Maple Leafs||12–13–3 || |- |29||December 9, 1995||4–2 || align="left"| New York Islanders||13–13–3 || |- |30||December 11, 1995||1–2 || align="left"| Florida Panthers||13–14–3 || |- |31||December 15, 1995||1–3 || align="left"| @ Detroit Red Wings||13–15–3 || |- |32||December 16, 1995||2–3 || align="left"| Buffalo Sabres||13–16–3 || |- |33||December 19, 1995||5–4 OT|| align="left"| Philadelphia Flyers||14–16–3 || |- |34||December 21, 1995||2–2 OT|| align="left"| @ Tampa Bay Lightning||14–16–4 || |- |35||December 23, 1995||1–2 || align="left"| @ Florida Panthers||14–17–4 || |- |36||December 27, 1995||5–3 || align="left"| New York Islanders||15–17–4 || |- |37||December 29, 1995||3–5 || align="left"| @ Winnipeg Jets||15–18–4 || |- |38||December 31, 1995||0–5 || align="left"| @ Chicago Blackhawks||15–19–4 || |-

|- |39||January 3, 1996||1–0 || align="left"| @ Colorado Avalanche||16–19–4 || |- |40||January 6, 1996||3–1 || align="left"| Washington Capitals||17–19–4 || |- |41||January 9, 1996||4–2 || align="left"| St. Louis Blues||18–19–4 || |- |42||January 11, 1996||1–2 || align="left"| San Jose Sharks||18–20–4 || |- |43||January 13, 1996||2–3 || align="left"| @ Boston Bruins||18–21–4 || |- |44||January 14, 1996||7–2 || align="left"| Dallas Stars||19–21–4 || |- |45||January 16, 1996||2–4 || align="left"| Boston Bruins||19–22–4 || |- |46||January 23, 1996||3–1 || align="left"| Los Angeles Kings||20–22–4 || |- |47||January 25, 1996||3–1 || align="left"| Washington Capitals||21–22–4 || |- |48||January 27, 1996||4–4 OT|| align="left"| @ Hartford Whalers||21–22–5 || |- |49||January 30, 1996||3–2 OT|| align="left"| @ Vancouver Canucks||22–22–5 || |-

|- |50||February 1, 1996||1–1 OT|| align="left"| @ Calgary Flames||22–22–6 || |- |51||February 3, 1996||3–2 OT|| align="left"| @ Ottawa Senators||23–22–6 || |- |52||February 7, 1996||1–1 OT|| align="left"| Pittsburgh Penguins||23–22–7 || |- |53||February 10, 1996||3–0 || align="left"| New York Rangers||24–22–7 || |- |54||February 11, 1996||2–4 || align="left"| Mighty Ducks of Anaheim||24–23–7 || |- |55||February 16, 1996||2–2 OT|| align="left"| @ Buffalo Sabres||24–23–8 || |- |56||February 18, 1996||3–0 || align="left"| Washington Capitals||25–23–8 || |- |57||February 19, 1996||1–4 || align="left"| @ Philadelphia Flyers||25–24–8 || |- |58||February 21, 1996||1–4 || align="left"| Florida Panthers||25–25–8 || |- |59||February 23, 1996||6–5 || align="left"| Montreal Canadiens||26–25–8 || |- |60||February 24, 1996||2–1 || align="left"| @ Washington Capitals||27–25–8 || |-

|- |61||March 1, 1996||6–2 || align="left"| New York Islanders||28–25–8 || |- |62||March 2, 1996||4–1 || align="left"| @ Ottawa Senators||29–25–8 || |- |63||March 4, 1996||2–2 OT|| align="left"| @ New York Rangers||29–25–9 || |- |64||March 6, 1996||2–2 OT|| align="left"| @ Toronto Maple Leafs||29–25–10 || |- |65||March 9, 1996||4–3 OT|| align="left"| @ Pittsburgh Penguins||30–25–10 || |- |66||March 10, 1996||3–2 OT|| align="left"| @ Philadelphia Flyers||31–25–10 || |- |67||March 13, 1996||1–1 OT|| align="left"| Montreal Canadiens||31–25–11 || |- |68||March 15, 1996||5–0 || align="left"| Tampa Bay Lightning||32–25–11 || |- |69||March 17, 1996||0–3 || align="left"| @ Florida Panthers||32–26–11 || |- |70||March 20, 1996||1–2 || align="left"| Boston Bruins||32–27–11 || |- |71||March 22, 1996||2–4 || align="left"| Chicago Blackhawks||32–28–11 || |- |72||March 23, 1996||3–2 OT|| align="left"| @ New York Islanders||33–28–11 || |- |73||March 26, 1996||6–4 || align="left"| @ Tampa Bay Lightning||34–28–11 || |- |74||March 28, 1996||4–4 OT|| align="left"| @ St. Louis Blues||34–28–12 || |- |75||March 30, 1996||1–2 || align="left"| @ Pittsburgh Penguins||34–29–12 || |-

|- |76||April 2, 1996||1–3 || align="left"| @ New York Rangers||34–30–12 || |- |77||April 4, 1996||0–1 || align="left"| Hartford Whalers||34–31–12 || |- |78||April 6, 1996||6–3 || align="left"| @ Hartford Whalers||35–31–12 || |- |79||April 7, 1996||4–2 || align="left"| New York Rangers||36–31–12 || |- |80||April 10, 1996||1–5 || align="left"| Philadelphia Flyers||36–32–12 || |- |81||April 11, 1996||3–2 || align="left"| @ Washington Capitals||37–32–12 || |- |82||April 13, 1996||2–5 || align="left"| Ottawa Senators||37–33–12 || |-

|- | 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

• <small> = Left team via a transaction (e.g., trade, waivers, release) during the season. Stats reflect time with the Devils only.</small>

Awards and records

Awards

Milestones

Draft picks

New Jersey's picks at the 1995 NHL entry draft, held in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, at Edmonton Coliseum.

See also

• 1995–96 NHL season

Notes

References