Believe it or not, the 2026-27 season will be the New Jersey Devils’ 20th in the Prudential Center. It won’t quite be the 20th anniversary of the building itself opening, as that happened in October of 2007, but as far as the number of individual seasons go, this upcoming campaign marks the big Two-Oh in Newark. It’s true that The Rock is showing it’s age in some ways. Wear and tear is starting to pile up in the building from the concourses to the concession stands to the bathrooms. But despite this,
it still feels hard to believe that we’re closing in on two full decades of hockey at the Prudential Center. I guess that’s just what happens when you get older, time seems to pass way faster in a lot of ways.
August is notoriously the slowest month of the hockey calendar. As such, I have been focusing less on day-to-day news and analysis about the team and delving into more abstract subjects this month, such as Nico Hischier’s place in Devils history and whether we might be on the cusp of a full-blown analytics revolution in the NHL. Call it Abstract August, I guess. Today, we’re not going to be getting quite that abstract, but we’re not going to be looking at current day subjects either. Instead, to celebrate 20 years in the Prudential Center, I thought it would be fun to put together a ranking of the 20 best Devils moments in Prudential Center history.
When organizing this list, I didn’t use any objective criteria or formula. I did try to go with moments that hold historical significance or emotional weight of some kind, but of course, my criteria of what makes a moment great might differ greatly from yours. It’s also admittedly a little random. At the risk of spoiling my own list, you will of course find moments of historical significance here, but there are also a handful of regular season games that, in the grand scheme of things, are pretty insignificant. But I personally found them impactful or thrilling or uniquely memorable in some way, so I thought they belonged on a countdown like this. The point is, I don’t expect anyone to agree with this ranking all the way through. I welcome the disagreement and debate, since chopping it up about arbitrary rankings and lists is one of the hallowed pastimes of sports fandom.
So without further ado, here is my list of the 20 best moments in Prudential Center history.
20. The Number Retirements
We’ll start this list with a bit of a copout: Clumping all the number retirements together. I felt like this list would be incomplete without them, but I also felt it would be wrong to rank them all individually. so I came to this middle ground of putting them here together at the bottom of the ranking. Scott Stevens, Ken Daneyko, Scott Niedermayer, Martin Brodeur, and Patrik Elias are all Devils royalty that saw their numbers go up into the rafters at the Prudential Center. Each ceremony was special and impactful, reminding us all of the glory this organization brought to the Garden State once upon a time. We can only hope that those five players will have some company up there soon.
19. First Win At The Rock
In that inaugural 2007-08 campaign, the Devils actually had to play their first nine(!) games on the road as construction on the Prudential Center finished up. When they finally returned home on October 27, they unfortunately lost a 4-1 clunker to the Ottawa Senators. They had to wait for game number two at The Rock, on Halloween night of 2007, for their first win in their new home. Thanks to a Jay Pandolfo hat trick, the Devils walloped the Tampa Bay Lightning, 6-1. Zach Parise, John Madden, and Arron Asham were the other goal scorers that day, and Martin Brodeur unsurprisingly started and picked up the win.
18. They Had Them All The Way
In the Devils’ second season in Newark, they played one of the craziest, most memorable regular season games of my lifetime. On December 12, 2008, New Jersey hosted their arch-rival New York Rangers. Things were going quite swimmingly for a while, with the Devils racing out to a commanding 5-1 lead about midway through the second period. But shockingly, the Rangers would score four unanswered goals to tie the game up at 5-5 in the third period. That’s when the Devils finally pulled away for good, with three more goals of their own, securing a ridiculous 8-5 victory. If you’ll recall, 2008-09 was the year Martin Brodeur missed most of the season with a torn bicep tendon. So Scott Clemmensen got the start in this game, and while he was obviously shaky, he rallied from a terrible stretch in the middle of the game to get the win. On the other side, Henrik Lundqvist was in net for all eight goals the Devils scored that night, a shockingly poor performance from the hall of fame goaltender. The goal scorers that night were Travis Zajac (twice), Jay Pandolfo, Johnny Oduya, Dainius Zubrus, Patrik Elias, Brian Gionta, and Jamie Langenbrunner.
17. There’s Number One For Number One
The Devils have had three number one overall picks in their franchise’s history. The first one was Rob Ramage in 1979, and he didn’t even stick around long enough to make it to New Jersey when the club moved here from Colorado. If we’re talking strictly the New Jersey part of the franchise’s history, it’s modern day stars Nico Hischier and Jack Hughes. Unfortunately for Hischier, his first career goal came on the road in Ottawa (a two-goal night!), so his moment is ineligible for this list. But the first overall pick of 2019 got his first in Newark, and it was a memorable one. On October 19, 2019, Hughes took a gorgeous cross-ice feed from Taylor Hall and ripped a shot past Thatcher Demko, staking New Jersey to a 1-0 lead.
Not only did Hughes’ first career goal come against his older brother Quinn’s Vancouver Canucks, but it also turned out to be the game-winner, as the Devils would go on to win by that 1-0 score. Hughes struggled mightily in his rookie year, but as we all know, he has since blossomed into a truly elite player worthy of being selected first overall. Assuming good health and Hughes signing a third contract with New Jersey, I think there is an excellent chance he becomes this franchise’s all-time leading scorer when all is said and done. As such, I think his first tally deserves a spot on this list.
16. I Think You’re Gonna Wanna Hear This
The 2013 NHL draft was held in the Prudential Center, and the Devils were poised to make a relative splash in front of their home crowd with the ninth overall pick. They never did make that pick, but they arguably made a bigger splash with that pick than if they did use it themselves. After Gary Bettman was done patronizing the crowd, we learned that Lou Lamoriello shipped the ninth pick to the Vancouver Canucks for Cory Schneider. This was a landmark moment for the franchise, because not only was it a massive trade in general, but it was also the first real acknowledgement that the Martin Brodeur era was coming to a close. Brodeur didn’t want to cede his net to Schneider in the beginning, but eventually Schneider won more playing time, and then became the unquestioned starter once Brodeur left for St. Louis.
We know now that the Schneider era did not lead the franchise to the past glories they recently experienced, but that was through no fault of the man himself. Cory Schneider was an excellent Devil, despite injuries sapping him of his effectiveness in his final years here. He was arguably a top-five goalie in the league during his first few seasons with the Devils, and if the team around him was any good, they could have done some serious damage. What could have been.
15. The First Post-Covid Win
When the 2019-20 NHL season was suspended due to the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, the New Jersey Devils were one of the few teams in the league who did not play hockey again until the following season. That 2021 regular season was unique in several ways. First of all, the season started in January. Second, it was a shortened 56-game campaign. Third, it featured revamped rules and divisions and schedules to cut down on travel and exposure to the virus. New Jersey opened their 2021 season with two games at home against their new division rivals, the Boston Bruins. They lost their season opener, but in game number two of the campaign, on January 16, 2021, the Devils and Bruins went to overtime with the score tied 1-1. In the dying seconds of the overtime period, in front of an empty building, rookie Yegor Sharangovich was sprung on a partial breakaway off a terrific feed from Damon Severson. Sharangovich didn’t miss, scoring his first career goal and lifting the Devils to their first win in a post-Covid world.
In the grand scheme of things, this is a pretty inconsequential win. That 2021 season was a terrible one for New Jersey, part of a long stretch of awful hockey from 2018-19 to 2021-22. But I can’t help but feel a certain attachment to this game. I think it’s mostly due to the fact that, at that moment in time, it had been almost a full calendar year since we last saw the Devils win a game. Heck, we had to wait almost a full year to watch them play at all. The pandemic was a scary time for everyone, and sports served as an important distraction from all the chaos and uncertainty. Sharangovich being such a deeply likeable player helped make this memorable as well, and his overtime winner helped give us a moment to smile after a year of turmoil.
14. Dougie And Jack On Opening Night
Our next moment comes less than a year later. In the summer of 2021, the biggest fish on the free agent market, Dougie Hamilton, agreed to a monster seven-year, $63M contract to join the New Jersey Devils. He was the biggest free agent New Jersey had landed in a long, long time, perhaps ever. On October 15, 2021, in his first game with the franchise, Hamilton showed everyone why the Devils paid top dollar for him, scoring 17 seconds into the season against the Chicago Blackhawks.
If that were the only memorable goal scored that night, this game might not be on this list. But the Devils went to overtime against the Blackhawks that day, and Jack Hughes sent the crowd home happy with one of the sickest goals you will ever see. And as if that weren’t enough, he topped the night off my heaving his stick into the crowd after scoring the game-winner. That celebration has become an iconic moment for him.
The vibes were immaculate after this game, and while the 2021-22 campaign would be yet another woeful disappointment, it would set the stage for a magical 2022-23. And aside from that, it was an important moment in Devils history, as arguably the biggest free agent they’ve ever signed made his impact felt from the word go. Even if it took a while, it marked a change for this franchise.
13. On His Special Night
When Brian Boyle was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia in September of 2017, his future was obviously uncertain. But Boyle managed to beat cancer and play a key role in New Jersey’s surprise run to the playoffs during the 2017-18 season. It showed what a warrior Brian Boyle was and is, and on November 24, 2017, Boyle wrote a storybook chapter in his fight against cancer. As the Devils were holding their Hockey Fights Cancer night, Will Butcher entered the zone with Boyle to his left. Butcher made a sweet move to slip past a couple defenders, then fed Boyle who scored as emotional and meaningful a regular season goal as you will see.
12. Taylor Hall Puts On His Cape
We’re doubling up on the 2017-18 season for our next spot. There are many, many moments we could include here from Taylor Hall’s Hart Trophy campaign. For me personally, my favorite goal of his from that season is his shorthanded, breakaway goal in Montreal to give the Devils a late lead in that game. But since that came on the road, we can’t count that here. As far as moments at The Rock, I think his crowning achievement came on April 3, 2018. As the Devils were inching closer toward ending their long playoff drought, a rarity for this franchise over the previous couple of decades, New Jersey hosted the hated New York Rangers. Already leading 4-1, Hall was awarded a penalty shot. As if to say “I’m better than you, it’s really that simple”, Hall just charged right at Henrik Lundqvist at full speed and ripped a shot over his glove for the goal. Nothing fancy, no typical penalty shot dekes or slowdowns, just one player overpowering another through sheer force of will. It would be Hall’s last goal of his remarkable season. New Jersey needed every ounce of Hall’s magic that year to make the playoffs, and his goal against the rival Rangers late in the season was a big part of the final push this team needed to finally return to the postseason.
11. Doc Emrick Loses His Voice
Back on February 5, 2010, the Devils were in the midst of a pretty nondescript game against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Losing 3-1 with about three minutes left, it was looking like just a simple off-night for one of the best teams in the league. But that’s when New Jersey put together one of the wildest comebacks I have ever seen. The Devils scored not once, not twice, but three times in the final minutes of the game (including twice in the final minute) to miraculously bank a regulation victory over Toronto. The immortal Doc Emrick was still doing Devils games back then, and his goal calls grew more and more unhinged with each passing tally. It is, in my humble opinion, one of the greatest regular season games in Prudential Center history.
10. Devils Tie A Franchise Record
The 2022-23 season was a special one. New Jersey set a franchise record in points, won a classic first round series against their Hudson River rivals, and on November 21, 2022, tied a franchise record for longest winning streak in club history. The 2000-01 team won 13 straight games during their regular season, and the 22-23 group did the same with a a 5-2 victory over the Edmonton Oilers. Vitek Vanecek picked up the win, while Jesper Bratt, Dawson Mercer, Damon Severson, Tomas Tatar, and Yegor Sharangovich all scored. New Jersey was not given the chance to break the record thanks to three disallowed goals of varying legitimacy in their next game, but that 13th straight victory in November of 2022 was a historic night for the franchise.
9. Simon Nemec’s Devils Moment
In August of 2026, we unfortunately know that it did not work out for the Devils’ 2022 second overall pick, Simon Nemec, in New Jersey. But in April of 2025, for at least one night, we were allowed to believe. After struggling through a regular season marred by injuries and poor performance, Nemec was one of the few Devils defensemen that was actually healthy for the team’s first round playoff series against the Carolina Hurricanes. The Devils would lose in five games, but the one win they picked up was a fun one. Deep into the night in Game Three, Simon Nemec gained the zone, deked Shayne Gostisbehere out of his skates, and beat Freddie Andersen for a double-overtime winner. The Rock was electric that evening.
Fun fact: Since the Prudential Center opened, the Devils have scored four playoff overtime goals at home. This is obviously one of them. The other three all came from the same playoff run. I’m sure you can figure out which one that is, and if you can’t, you will be reminded of them very soon.
8. Elias Passes The Torch To Hughes
In the penultimate game of the 2022-23 regular season, Jack Hughes made Devils history. For over two decades, Patrik Elias’ 96 points in the 2000-01 campaign stood as the club record for points in a single season. But on April 11, 2023, Hughes surpassed Elias with an empty-net goal against the Buffalo Sabres, his 97th point of the season. Hughes would go on to score two points in the regular season finale, settling on 99 points in his magical 2022-23 campaign. Hughes still has a lot of career ahead of him, but on that April night in 2023, Hughes staked his claim as one of the greatest offensive forces in Devils history.
7. The Pony Express Delivers An OT Win
As I mentioned in moment number nine, while New Jersey has plenty of playoff overtime goals since 2007-08, only four of them have actually come at The Rock. This is one of them, and I would argue it gets overlooked considering all the other big moments from that 2012 playoff run. But make no mistake, this one was vital. After Adam Henrique propelled the Devils to the second round thanks to a Game-Seven, double-overtime goal of his own in round one, New Jersey faced off against an imposing Philadelphia Flyers team. Upon dropping Game One in Philadelphia in overtime, the Devils won Game Two to knot the series up coming back to New Jersey. The pivotal Game Three required overtime, and after Ilya Kovalchuk lulled the Flyers to sleep by retreating back into his own zone, he found Alexei Ponikarovsky on a killer stretch pass for an odd-man rush. Ponikarovsky’s initial shot was saved, but he got his own rebound and whacked it home to give New Jersey a crucial 2-1 series lead. The Devils would go on to win that second-round series in five games.
6. Schmid Completes The Comeback
The Devils were looking pretty done and dusted after the first two games of their 2023 first round series against the New York Rangers. Thanks to identical 5-1 losses in front of their own fans, the Devils needed to shake things up. Head coach Lindy Ruff turned to rookie goaltender Akira Schmid to replace a flailing Vitek Vanecek, and thanks to Schmid and Dougie Hamilton’s heroics in an overtime win in Game Three, the comeback was on. New Jersey would win three in a row before dropping Game Six in New York, setting up a winner-take-all Game Seven at the Prudential Center. We all know the rest: The since-banished Michael McLeod opened the scoring in the second period, New Jersey added on a few more later in the game, and the Devils took the series with a 4-0 win on home ice. In their triumphant return to the playoffs after a historic regular season, against their bitter rivals, it didn’t get much better than that.
5. The Lone Cup Final Win
Since the Prudential Center opened in 2007, the New Jersey Devils have won exactly one home game in the month of June. On June 9, 2012, the Devils returned home after winning Game Four of the Stanley Cup Final in Los Angeles to extend the series. Game Five was close, as basically every game in this series was, but New Jersey did manage to squeak out a 2-1 victory at The Rock to get to within 3-2 and send the series back to Los Angeles for a Game Six. Zach Parise and Bryce Salvador were the goal-scorers, while Martin Brodeur picked up the win.
The reason this game isn’t higher should be obvious. Even though this is the Devils’ lone Stanley Cup Final win in Prudential Center history, it’s still a series that they lost. And even in the moment, while we all started to regain that glimmer of hope that the Devils could erase a 3-0 series deficit, the odds were still heavily stacked against them. In Game Six, if the officials didn’t miss the very obvious penalty by Jaret Stoll on Stephen Gionta five seconds before calling Steve Bernier for the exact same thing that Stoll did to Gionta, then maybe, just maybe, New Jersey could’ve made history and came all the way back. But the officials refused to give New Jersey a chance to win that game, and so the Game Five victory settles in at number five on the list.
4. Elias Passes MacLean
On March 17, 2009 (remember that date), Patrik Elias surpassed John MacLean for the franchise record in career points. It was a monumental occasion, with one Devils legend passing the torch to another. And the fact that it came on a vintage bit of Elias playmaking magic makes it so fitting. Elias went on to score over 1,000 points in a Devils sweater, and while it’s possible someone comes along and breaks his record one day, he is very safe for the foreseeable future. And on this day, Elias looked up at nobody.
3. Zajac Keeps The Devils’ Run Alive
The first magic moment of that 2012 playoff run belonged to Travis Zajac. On April 24, 2012, the Devils hosted the Florida Panthers in Game Six of their first round series. Down 3-2 and facing elimination, the Devils battled the Panthers to a draw through 60 minutes, sending the game to overtime. 5:39 into the extra frame, the Devils’ big guns of Zach Parise, Ilya Kovalchuk, and Zajac worked together to gain the zone. Kovalchuk drew a couple of Panthers defenders to him and slipped a pass to a cutting Zajac, who muscled home the game-winner to send the series back to South Florida.
The reason I have this one higher than the Ponikarovsky goal, despite Ponikarovsky’s winner coming one round deeper, is because the Devils were facing elimination in this game, unlike in Game Three in the second round. Not to mention that first round series against Florida was much more dramatic and tense and thrilling than the five-game romp the Devils enjoyed against the Flyers. The surrounding context bumps this one up in my opinion.
Also fun fact, Kovalchuk had the primary assist on all three home OT goals the Devils scored in 2012. The man wasn’t just a one-dimensional goal-scorer, he had some seriously underrated playmaking ability.
2. Brodeur Reaches The Mountaintop
Remember when I told you to remember March 17, 2009? In a stunning coincidence, there were TWO Devils legends who broke cherished records on this day. But with all due respect to Patrik Elias, this one is a much bigger deal. Despite missing most of the 2008-09 season with a bicep injury, Brodeur returned after a few months on the shelf to continue his chase of Patrick Roy’s all-time wins record. He was close to the mark before his injury, and after picking up a few more wins upon his return in February, Brodeur entered that March 17 game tied with his childhood idol. Thanks in part to Elias, Brodeur nailed down a 3-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks to become the winningest goaltender in NHL history. It was a truly historic moment for not just the Devils franchise, but for the entire NHL.
1. It’s Over
Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, Devils fans of all walks of life…was there ever any doubt which moment would be number one?
Final Thoughts And Your Take
This was a fun list to put together. It did, however, highlight the fact that there has unfortunately been comparatively few magical moments at The Rock than at Continental Airlines Arena when the team was winning Stanley Cups and going to the playoffs every year. If not for 2012, this list would be much harder to put together. But thanks to Zajac, Ponikarovsky, and Adam Henrique, we do have some truly special moments at the top to look back on and enjoy. We can only hope the Devils of 2026-27 and beyond can start filling up this list very soon.
Anyway, now that I’ve put together my list, let’s hear what you have to say. What are some moments that I’ve left off that you would include on this list? What are some moments on here that you think are too high or too low? And what are you most looking forward to in New Jersey’s 20th season of hockey at the Prudential Center? As always, thanks for reading!
