1982–83 New Jersey Devils season

The 1982–83 New Jersey Devils season was the franchise's ninth season in the NHL and the first in New Jersey after moving from Colorado, where they were known as the Colorado Rockies. The Devils first ever game was a 3–3 tie with the Pittsburgh Penguins, where first captain Don Lever scored the Devils' first ever goal. The team's first win would come against their new rivals, the New York Rangers. However, the new location didn't help the team overall, as they continued to struggle in the standings, finishing second-last in their division and third-to-last in their conference.

Regular season

Season standings

Record vs. opponents

Schedule and results

| 1 || October 5 || Pittsburgh || 3 – 3 || New Jersey || 0–0–1 || 1 || 13,663

| 2 || October 8 || NY Rangers || 2 – 3 || New Jersey || 1–0–1 || 3 || 19,203

| 3 || October 9 || New Jersey || 5 – 5 || Toronto || 1–0–2 || 4 || 16,382

| 4 || October 12 || Boston || 2 – 2 || New Jersey || 1–0–3 || 5 || 10,251

| 5 || October 14 || Montreal || 5 – 3 || New Jersey || 1–1–3 || 5 || 11,703

| 6 || October 16 || New Jersey || 6 – 5 || Pittsburgh || 2–1–3 || 7 || 8,852

| 7 || October 18 || Philadelphia || 1 – 3 || New Jersey || 3–1–3 || 9 || 12,521

| 8 || October 20 || New Jersey || 4 – 7 || Los Angeles || 3–2–3 || 9 || 8,519

| 9 || October 22 || New Jersey || 1 – 3 || Winnipeg || 3–3–3 || 9 || 12,534

| 10 || October 26 || Minnesota || 5 – 3 || New Jersey || 3–4–3 || 9 || 11,208

| 11 || October 28 || NY Islanders || 4 – 2 || New Jersey || 3–5–3 || 9 || 19,023

| 12 || October 30 || New Jersey || 5 – 8 || NY Islanders || 3–6–3 || 9 || 15,230

| 13 || November 1 || Calgary || 6 – 3 || New Jersey || 3–7–3 || 9 || 10,152

| 14 || November 2 || New Jersey || 4 – 5 || Montreal || 3–8–3 || 9 || 15,177

| 15 || November 4 || Pittsburgh || 4 – 4 || New Jersey || 3–8–4 || 10 || 10,410

| 16 || November 6 || New Jersey || 1 – 1 || Detroit || 3–8–5 || 11 || 11,395

| 17 || November 8 || Washington || 2 – 2 || New Jersey || 3–8–6 || 12 || 10,273

| 18 || November 10 || New Jersey || 0 – 3 || Washington || 3–9–6 || 12 || 12,445

| 19 || November 11 || Edmonton || 5 – 1 || New Jersey || 3–10–6 || 12 || 19,023

| 20 || November 13 || New Jersey || 2 – 7 || Quebec || 3–11–6 || 12 || 15,004

| 21 || November 16 || New Jersey || 2 – 7 || St. Louis || 3–12–6 || 12 || 10,807

| 22 || November 17 || New Jersey || 3 – 5 || Chicago || 3–13–6 || 12 || 14,628

| 23 || November 20 || New Jersey || 1 – 5 || Minnesota || 3–14–6 || 12 || 14,940

| 24 || November 24 || New Jersey || 0 – 3 || Los Angeles || 3–15–6 || 12 || 9,735

| 25 || November 26 || New Jersey || 4 – 4 || Vancouver || 3–15–7 || 13 || 12,875

| 26 || November 27 || New Jersey || 4 – 3 || Calgary || 4–15–7 || 15 || 7,242

| 27 || November 29 || Chicago || 3 – 1 || New Jersey || 4–16–7 || 15 || 10,834

| 28 || December 1 || Toronto || 3 – 7 || New Jersey || 5–16–7 || 17 || 9,007

| 29 || December 3 || Hartford || 4 – 5 || New Jersey || 6–16–7 || 19 || 12,428

| 30 || December 4 || New Jersey || 2 – 6 || Detroit || 6–17–7 || 19 || 8,462

| 31 || December 6 || Winnipeg || 5 – 3 || New Jersey || 6–18–7 || 19 || 8,862

| 32 || December 9 || Washington || 6 – 4 || New Jersey || 6–19–7 || 19 || 9,123

| 33 || December 11 || New Jersey || 1 – 7 || NY Islanders || 6–20–7 || 19 || 15,167

| 34 || December 12 || New Jersey || 0 – 4 || NY Rangers || 6–21–7 || 19 || 17,423

| 35 || December 17 || New Jersey || 4 – 10 || Edmonton || 6–22–7 || 19 || 17,498

| 36 || December 19 || New Jersey || 3 – 2 || Winnipeg || 7–22–7 || 21 || 10,815

| 37 || December 22 || Philadelphia || 3 – 1 || New Jersey || 7–23–7 || 21 || 13,144

| 38 || December 26 || New Jersey || 2 – 5 || Boston || 7–24–7 || 21 || 14,685

| 39 || December 30 || NY Rangers || 5 – 2 || New Jersey || 7–25–7 || 21 || 19,023

| 40 || January 2 || Vancouver || 1 – 3 || New Jersey || 8–25–7 || 23 || 10,017

| 41 || January 5 || Toronto || 4 – 4 || New Jersey || 8–25–8 || 24 || 9,330

| 42 || January 7 || Boston || 2 – 2 || New Jersey || 8–25–9 || 25 || 19,023

| 43 || January 9 || New Jersey || 3 – 4 || NY Rangers || 8–26–9 || 25 || 17,422

| 44 || January 10 || Quebec || 2 – 6 || New Jersey || 9–26–9 || 27 || 9,814

| 45 || January 13 || NY Islanders || 5 – 2 || New Jersey || 9–27–9 || 27 || 17,342

| 46 || January 15 || New Jersey || 1 – 2 || Hartford || 9–28–9 || 27 || 9,200

| 47 || January 16 || Los Angeles || 3 – 5 || New Jersey || 10–28–9 || 29 || 10,367

| 48 || January 19 || New Jersey || 1 – 1 || Pittsburgh || 10–28–10 || 30 || 5,213

| 49 || January 20 || St. Louis || 3 – 3 || New Jersey || 10–28–11 || 31 || 9,763

| 50 || January 23 || New Jersey || 1 – 3 || Washington || 10–29–11 || 31 || 8,839

| 51 || January 25 || New Jersey || 1 – 5 || Philadelphia || 10–30–11 || 31 || 16,312

| 52 || January 29 || New Jersey || 4 – 6 || Quebec || 10–31–11 || 31 || 15,056

| 53 || January 31 || Pittsburgh || 2 – 3 || New Jersey || 11–31–11 || 33 || 9,732

| 54 || February 3 || NY Islanders || 7 – 2 || New Jersey || 11–32–11 || 33 || 15,033

| 55 || February 5 || New Jersey || 4 – 5 || Washington || 11–33–11 || 33 || 13,150

| 56 || February 6 || Vancouver || 4 – 4 || New Jersey || 11–33–12 || 34 || 7,036

| 57 || February 9 || New Jersey || 4 – 5 || Chicago || 11–34–12 || 34 || 16,235

| 58 || February 12 || New Jersey || 1 – 5 || St. Louis || 11–35–12 || 34 || 11,948

| 59 || February 15 || Minnesota || 3 – 2 || New Jersey || 11–36–12 || 34 || 10,765

| 60 || February 20 || New Jersey || 0 – 3 || Philadelphia || 11–37–12 || 34 || 17,011

| 61 || February 21 || Buffalo || 4 – 4 || New Jersey || 11–37–13 || 35 || 10,060

| 62 || February 24 || Detroit || 1 – 4 || New Jersey || 12–37–13 || 37 || 11,242

| 63 || February 26 || New Jersey || 4 – 5 || Pittsburgh || 12–38–13 || 37 || 10,343

| 64 || February 27 || New Jersey || 2 – 6 || Buffalo || 12–39–13 || 37 || 11,916

| 65 || March 1 || Edmonton || 4 – 3 || New Jersey || 12–40–13 || 37 || 13,478

| 66 || March 3 || Philadelphia || 4 – 1 || New Jersey || 12–41–13 || 37 || 12,701

| 67 || March 5 || New Jersey || 1 – 5 || NY Islanders || 12–42–13 || 37 || 15,230

| 68 || March 6 || New Jersey || 6 – 4 || NY Rangers || 13–42–13 || 39 || 17,410

| 69 || March 8 || Washington || 5 – 4 || New Jersey || 13–43–13 || 39 || 9,350

| 70 || March 10 || Hartford || 3 – 0 || New Jersey || 13–44–13 || 39 || 10,206

| 71 || March 12 || New Jersey || 7 – 3 || Montreal || 14–44–13 || 41 || 16,556

| 72 || March 14 || Calgary || 7 – 0 || New Jersey || 14–45–13 || 41 || 10,563

| 73 || March 17 || NY Islanders || 9 – 5 || New Jersey || 14–46–13 || 41 || 13,954

| 74 || March 21 || NY Rangers || 2 – 4 || New Jersey || 15–46–13 || 43 || 19,023

| 75 || March 24 || New Jersey || 3 – 5 || Washington || 15–47–13 || 43 || 9,713

| 76 || March 25 || Philadelphia || 5 – 6 || New Jersey || 16–47–13 || 45 || 17,041

| 77 || March 27 || New Jersey || 1 – 4 || Philadelphia || 16–48–13 || 45 || 16,922

| 78 || March 31 || Buffalo || 8 – 5 || New Jersey || 16–49–13 || 45 || 13,286

| 79 || April 1 || New Jersey || 3 – 3 || NY Rangers || 16–49–14 || 46 || 17,412

| 80 || April 3 || New Jersey || 5 – 3 || Pittsburgh || 17–49–14 || 48 || 5,864

Legend:

Player statistics

Skaters Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes

    Regular season   Playoffs Player GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM Aaron Broten 7316395528 – – – – - Don Lever 7923305368 – – – – -Bob MacMillan711929488 – – – – -Tapio Levo 73 7 40 47 22 – – – – -Jeff Larmer 65 21 24 45 21 – – – – -Hector Marini 77 17 28 45 105 – – – – -Steve Tambellini 73 25 18 43 14 – – – – -Brent Ashton 76 14 19 33 47 – – – – -Rick Meagher† 57 15 14 29 11 – – – – -Paul Gagne 53 14 15 29 13 – – – – -Murray Brumwell 59 5 14 19 34 – – – – -Jan Ludvig 51 7 10 17 30 – – – – -Joel Quenneville 74 5 12 17 46 – – – – -Mike Antonovich 30 7 7 14 11 – – – – -Glenn Merkosky 34 4 10 14 20 – – – – -Bob Lorimer 66 3 10 13 42 – – – – -Mike Kitchen 77 4 8 12 52 – – – – -Yvon Vautour 52 4 7 11 136 – – – – -Rob Palmer 60 1 10 11 21 – – – – -Dave Cameron 35 5 4 9 50 – – – – -John Wensink 42 2 7 9 135 – – – – -Carol Vadnais 51 2 7 9 64 – – – – -Merlin Malinowski‡ 5 3 2 5 0 – – – – -Pat Verbeek 6 3 2 5 8 – – – – -Dave Hutchison 32 1 4 5 102 – – – – -Garry Howatt 38 1 4 5 114 – – – – -Jukka Porvari 8 1 3 4 4 – – – – -Chico Resch 65 0 3 3 6 – – – – -Larry Floyd 5 1 0 1 2 – – – – -Joe Cirella 2 0 1 1 4 – – – – -Mike Moher 9 0 1 1 28 – – – – -Ron Low† 11 0 1 1 0 – – – – -Randy Pierce 3 0 0 0 0 – – – – -Dwight Foster‡ 4 0 0 0 2 – – – – -Shawn MacKenzie 6 0 0 0 0 – – – – -Lindsay Middlebrook‡ 9 0 0 0 2 – – – – - †Denotes player spent time with another team before joining New Jersey. Stats reflect time with the Devils only. ‡Traded mid-season

Note: GP = Games played; TOI = Time on ice (minutes); W = Wins; L = Losses; OT = Overtime/shootout losses; GA = Goals against; SO = Shutouts; GAA = Goals against average     Regular season   Playoffs Player GP TOI W L T GA SO GAA GP TOI W L GA SO GAA Chico Resch 65365015351224203.98 – – – – – – - Ron Low† 116082714104.05 – – – – – – - Lindsay Middlebrook‡ 94120613705.39 – – – – – – - Shawn MacKenzie 61300101506.92 – – – – – – - †Denotes player spent time with another team before joining New Jersey. Stats reflect time with the Devils only. ‡Traded mid-season Bold/italics denotes franchise record

Transactions The Devils were involved in the following transactions during the 1982–83 season.

Trades October 1, 1982 To New Jersey Devils Hector Marini4th round pick in 1983 To New York Islanders 4th round pick in 1983 October 15, 1982 To New Jersey DevilsRick MeagherGarry Howatt To Hartford WhalersMerlin MalinowskiScott Fusco October 29, 1982 To New Jersey DevilsCash To Detroit Red WingsDwight Foster February 19, 1983 To New Jersey DevilsRon Low To Edmonton OilersLindsay MiddlebrookPaul Miller

Free agents Player Former teamC Mike AntonovichMinnesota North StarsC Mitch WilsonSeattle Breakers (WHL)F Jan LudvigEdmonton Oilers Player New team

Draft picks The Devils' draft picks at the 1982 NHL entry draft at the Montreal Forum in Montreal, Canada. Rd # Pick # Player Nat Pos Team (League) Notes18Rocky TrottierCBillings Bighorns (WHL)118Ken DaneykoDSeattle Breakers (WHL)222No second-round draft pick344Pat VerbeekCSudbury Wolves (OHL)354Dave KasperCSherbrooke Castors (QMJHL)464No fourth-round draft pick585Scott BrydgesDWhite Bear Lake Mariner H.S. (Minnesota)6106Mike MoherRWKitchener Rangers (OHL)7127Paul FulcherLWLondon Knights (OHL)8148John HutchingsDOshawa Generals (OHL)9169Alan HeppleDOttawa 67's (OHL)10190Brent ShawRWSeattle Breakers (WHL)10207Tony GilliardLWNiagara Falls Flyers (OHL)11211Scott FuscoCHarvard University (ECAC)12232Dan DorionRWAustin Mavericks (USHL)

See also 1982–83 NHL season

Notes

References