The 1991–92 New Jersey Devils season was the 18th season for the National Hockey League (NHL) franchise that was established on June 11, 1974, and 10th season since the franchise relocated from Colorado prior to the 1982–83 NHL season. For the third consecutive season, the Devils qualified for the playoffs, this time losing in the division semi-finals to the New York Rangers.
Regular season Goaltender Martin Brodeur made his debut with the Devils. Though he would only play four games during this season, he who would go on to become the franchise goaltender of the Devils.
The Devils scored the fewest power-play goals (59) and had the fewest power-play opportunities in the NHL (338).
Season standings
Schedule and results
|1||W||October 5, 1991||7–2 || align="left"| St. Louis Blues||1–0–0
|2||W||October 6, 1991||4–2 || align="left"| @ Chicago Blackhawks||2–0–0
|3||W||October 8, 1991||6–5 || align="left"| Quebec Nordiques||3–0–0
|4||W||October 12, 1991||4–1 || align="left"| Pittsburgh Penguins||4–0–0
|5||L||October 13, 1991||2–4 || align="left"| @ Philadelphia Flyers||4–1–0
|6||L||October 16, 1991||2–4 || align="left"| @ New York Rangers||4–2–0
|7||L||October 18, 1991||5–6 || align="left"| @ Washington Capitals||4–3–0
|8||L||October 19, 1991||1–5 || align="left"| Washington Capitals||4–4–0
|9||W||October 22, 1991||5–2 || align="left"| Los Angeles Kings||5–4–0
|10||W||October 24, 1991||4–2 || align="left"| @ Pittsburgh Penguins||6–4–0
|11||W||October 26, 1991||9–0 || align="left"| San Jose Sharks||7–4–0
|12||L||October 29, 1991||3–4 || align="left"| @ Vancouver Canucks||7–5–0
|13||W||October 30, 1991||5–2 || align="left"| @ Calgary Flames||8–5–0
|14||W||November 1, 1991||3–1 || align="left"| @ Edmonton Oilers||9–5–0
|15||L||November 4, 1991||2–3 OT|| align="left"| @ Montreal Canadiens||9–6–0
|16||W||November 8, 1991||3–2 || align="left"| Montreal Canadiens||10–6–0
|17||L||November 9, 1991||0–4 || align="left"| @ Boston Bruins||10–7–0
|18||W||November 12, 1991||5–2 || align="left"| Philadelphia Flyers||11–7–0
|19||L||November 14, 1991||3–4 || align="left"| New York Islanders||11–8–0
|20||L||November 16, 1991||0–1 || align="left"| Winnipeg Jets||11–9–0
|21||W||November 20, 1991||6–5 OT|| align="left"| Washington Capitals||12–9–0
|22||W||November 22, 1991||8–2 || align="left"| Hartford Whalers||13–9–0
|23||T||November 23, 1991||5–5 OT|| align="left"| @ Philadelphia Flyers||13–9–1
|24||L||November 27, 1991||4–8 || align="left"| @ Pittsburgh Penguins||13–10–1
|25||W||November 30, 1991||4–1 || align="left"| @ Los Angeles Kings||14–10–1
|26||W||December 5, 1991||6–3 || align="left"| Calgary Flames||15–10–1
|27||T||December 7, 1991||2–2 OT|| align="left"| Detroit Red Wings||15–10–2
|28||T||December 8, 1991||2–2 OT|| align="left"| @ Philadelphia Flyers||15–10–3
|29||L||December 10, 1991||3–4 || align="left"| @ Minnesota North Stars||15–11–3
|30||L||December 13, 1991||3–4 || align="left"| Pittsburgh Penguins||15–12–3
|31||T||December 14, 1991||3–3 OT|| align="left"| @ New York Islanders||15–12–4
|32||W||December 19, 1991||4–1 || align="left"| @ Hartford Whalers||16–12–4
|33||T||December 21, 1991||1–1 OT|| align="left"| Chicago Blackhawks||16–12–5
|34||L||December 23, 1991||0–3 || align="left"| @ New York Rangers||16–13–5
|35||T||December 26, 1991||5–5 OT|| align="left"| @ New York Islanders||16–13–6
|36||W||December 28, 1991||3–0 || align="left"| Buffalo Sabres||17–13–6
|37||L||December 29, 1991||3–4 || align="left"| Washington Capitals||17–14–6
|38||W||December 31, 1991||7–4 || align="left"| @ Pittsburgh Penguins||18–14–6
|39||W||January 2, 1992||4–0 || align="left"| Pittsburgh Penguins||19–14–6
|40||W||January 4, 1992||6–4 || align="left"| New York Rangers||20–14–6
|41||W||January 9, 1992||4–3 || align="left"| St. Louis Blues||21–14–6
|42||L||January 11, 1992||3–4 || align="left"| Toronto Maple Leafs||21–15–6
|43||W||January 12, 1992||5–2 || align="left"| Los Angeles Kings||22–15–6
|44||T||January 15, 1992||8–8 OT|| align="left"| Buffalo Sabres||22–15–7
|45||W||January 24, 1992||5–2 || align="left"| @ Washington Capitals||23–15–7
|46||L||January 25, 1992||0–7 || align="left"| Detroit Red Wings||23–16–7
|47||W||January 29, 1992||4–3 || align="left"| @ Montreal Canadiens||24–16–7
|48||W||January 31, 1992||6–3 || align="left"| @ Detroit Red Wings||25–16–7
|49||L||February 1, 1992||4–6 || align="left"| @ Toronto Maple Leafs||25–17–7
|50||W||February 4, 1992||3–1 || align="left"| Philadelphia Flyers||26–17–7
|51||L||February 6, 1992||1–4 || align="left"| @ St. Louis Blues||26–18–7
|52||W||February 8, 1992||6–4 || align="left"| @ Boston Bruins||27–18–7
|53||W||February 9, 1992||2–1 || align="left"| @ Quebec Nordiques||28–18–7
|54||W||February 13, 1992||5–3 || align="left"| Vancouver Canucks||29–18–7
|55||W||February 15, 1992||4–1 || align="left"| Hartford Whalers||30–18–7
|56||W||February 16, 1992||4–2 || align="left"| New York Rangers||31–18–7
|57||W||February 18, 1992||4–3 OT|| align="left"| Philadelphia Flyers||32–18–7
|58||T||February 20, 1992||4–4 OT|| align="left"| @ Chicago Blackhawks||32–18–8
|59||L||February 21, 1992||4–6 || align="left"| @ Winnipeg Jets||32–19–8
|60||L||February 24, 1992||1–3 || align="left"| Minnesota North Stars||32–20–8
|61||T||February 25, 1992||5–5 OT|| align="left"| @ Toronto Maple Leafs||32–20–9
|62||L||February 28, 1992||2–3 OT|| align="left"| New York Islanders||32–21–9
|63||W||February 29, 1992||3–1 || align="left"| @ New York Islanders||33–21–9
|64||L||March 2, 1992||1–7 || align="left"| New York Rangers||33–22–9
|65||W||March 4, 1992||5–4 || align="left"| @ New York Rangers||34–22–9
|66||L||March 6, 1992||4–5 || align="left"| @ Buffalo Sabres||34–23–9
|67||L||March 7, 1992||2–3 OT|| align="left"| @ Washington Capitals||34–24–9
|68||T||March 11, 1992||2–2 OT|| align="left"| @ Edmonton Oilers||34–24–10
|69||L||March 12, 1992||1–2 || align="left"| @ Vancouver Canucks||34–25–10
|70||L||March 14, 1992||2–3 || align="left"| @ San Jose Sharks||34–26–10
|71||L||March 19, 1992||3–5 || align="left"| Edmonton Oilers||34–27–10
|72||T||March 21, 1992||2–2 OT|| align="left"| New York Islanders||34–27–11
|73||L||March 22, 1992||3–6 || align="left"| @ New York Rangers||34–28–11
|74||W||March 24, 1992||4–3 || align="left"| San Jose Sharks||35–28–11
|75||W||March 26, 1992||4–2 || align="left"| Boston Bruins||36–28–11
|76||W||March 28, 1992||5–2 || align="left"| Quebec Nordiques||37–28–11
|77||L||March 29, 1992||4–5 || align="left"| @ Philadelphia Flyers||37–29–11
|78||L||April 12, 1992||3–4 OT|| align="left"| Washington Capitals||37–30–11
|79||W||April 13, 1992||5–1 || align="left"| Pittsburgh Penguins||38–30–11
|80||L||April 15, 1992||0–7 || align="left"| @ New York Islanders||38–31–11
Legend:
Playoffs
Patrick Division Semifinals
(P4) New Jersey Devils vs. (P1) New York Rangers
The series opened at Madison Square Garden. The Rangers won game 1 4–2, but the Devils tied up the series in game 2 with a 7-3 drubbing over New York. Games 3 and 4 were at the Meadowlands in New Jersey. In game 3, the Devils were victorious by a score of 3–1. But in game 4, the Rangers blanked the Devils 3–0. Game 5 shifted back to New York, where the Rangers took a commanding 3–2 series lead by defeating the Devils 8–5. Game 6 was at the Meadowlands and the Devils won 5–3 tying up the series at 3 games apiece. Game 7 shifted back to Madison Square Garden where the Rangers won 8–4 over New Jersey and won the series 4–3.
Player statistics
Regular season Scoring Player Pos GP G A Pts PIM +/- PPG SHG GWG RW 74 41 27 68 10991318 RW 74 29 35 64 25-1516 C 80 21 42 63 698202 C 66 24 38 62 4261013 D 68 17 42 59 12424712 RW 71 19 27 46 7427111 D 78 7 35 42 665311 D 76 12 28 40 7014321 LW 76 19 17 36 328032 RW 80 17 16 33 2466201 D 76 7 25 32 5510500 LW 44 13 18 31 2811303 RW 71 11 17 28 2717121 C 75 8 20 28 1219002 D 70 3 23 26 10811001 LW 37 7 11 18 580100 RW 41 6 12 18 329010 LW 20 6 5 11 10-2100 C 25 5 6 11 05001 LW 44 7 3 10 160011 D 80 1 7 8 1707000 LW 17 3 4 7 437000 C 15 2 4 6 4-1002 C 17 1 3 4 8-5100 D 19 0 4 4 47000 C 7 1 2 3 6-6100 LW 7 1 2 3 6-1000 D 9 0 2 2 13-2000 C 7 1 0 1 41000 G 26 0 1 1 20000 RW 5 0 1 1 91000 D 4 0 1 1 21000 G 54 0 1 1 130000 G 4 0 0 0 00000 LW 2 0 0 0 20000 C 1 0 0 0 00000 G 2 0 0 0 00000 LW 3 0 0 0 00000 LW 1 0 0 0 50000 Goaltending Player MIN GPW LTGAGAA SO SA SV SV% 3186 54 22 22 10 169 3.18 115111342.888 1363 26 13 7 1 69 3.04 2637568.892 179 4 2 1 0 10 3.35 08575.882 120 2 1 1 0 9 4.50 05546.836 Team: 4848 80 38 31 11 257 3.18 322882031.888
Playoffs Scoring Player Pos GP G A Pts PIM PPG SHG GWG C 7 3 7 10 19000 RW 7 4 3 7 26100 LW 7 2 4 6 0001 C 7 3 2 5 8100 RW 7 1 3 4 10100 D 7 0 4 4 2000 RW 6 3 0 3 4000 D 7 2 1 3 29201 RW 7 1 2 3 0000 LW 7 0 3 3 4000 D 7 0 3 3 16000 D 6 0 3 3 8000 D 1 1 1 2 0000 LW 7 1 1 2 4010 D 7 1 1 2 12000 RW 7 1 1 2 17000 LW 4 1 1 2 2000 C 3 0 2 2 0000 D 7 0 2 2 4000 C 7 1 0 1 8001 G 1 0 0 0 0000 C 1 0 0 0 0000 G 7 0 0 0 0000 Goaltending Player MIN GPW LGAGAA SO SA SV SV% 386 7 3 3 23 3.58 0203180.887 32 1 0 1 3 5.63 01512.800 Team: 418 7 3 4 26 3.73 0218192.881
Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/- = Plus/minus; PIM = Penalty minutes; PPG = Power-play goals; SHG = Short-handed goals; GWG = Game-winning goals MIN = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; GA = Goals against; GAA = Goals against average; SO = Shutouts; SA = Shots against; SV = Shots saved; SV% = Save percentage;
Awards and records Awards Regular Season Player Award Awarded Kevin Todd NHL All-Rookie Team – Forward End of regular season
Draft picks The Devils' draft picks at the 1991 NHL entry draft. Rd # Pick # Player Nat Pos Team (League) Notes13Scott NiedermayerDKamloops Blazers (WHL)111Brian RolstonLWDetroit Compuware (NAHL)233Donevan HextallCPrince Albert Raiders (WHL)355Fredrik BrembergRWDjurgårdens IF (Elitserien)477Brad WillnerDRichfield H.S. (Minnesota)599No fifth-round pick6121Curtis RegnierLWPrince Albert Raiders (WHL)7143Dave CraievichDOshawa Generals (OHL)8165Paul WolanskiDNiagara Falls Thunder (OHL)9187Dan ReimannDAnoka H.S. (Minnesota)10209No tenth-round pick11231Kevin RiehlCMedicine Hat Tigers (WHL)12253Jason HehrDKelowna Spartans (BCJHL)S17Rob KruhlakGNorthern Michigan University (CCHA)
Notes
References Devils on Hockey Database