1988–89 New Jersey Devils season

The 1988–89 New Jersey Devils season was the 15th season for the National Hockey League (NHL) franchise that was established on June 11, 1974, and seventh season since the franchise relocated from Colorado prior to the 1982–83 NHL season. After appearing in the playoffs the previous season, the Devils finished in fifth place in the Patrick Division to miss the playoffs for the thirteenth time in franchise history.

Regular season

Season standings

Record vs. opponents

Schedule and results

|1||L||October 6, 1988||1–4 || align="left"| @ Philadelphia Flyers (season) ||0–1–0

|2||W||October 8, 1988||5–3 || align="left"| @ Quebec Nordiques (season) ||1–1–0

|3||W||October 10, 1988||5–0 || align="left"| @ New York Rangers (season) ||2–1–0

|4||L||October 14, 1988||3–7 || align="left"| Montreal Canadiens (season) ||2–2–0

|5||L||October 15, 1988||5–8 || align="left"| @ Washington Capitals (season) ||2–3–0

|6||L||October 19, 1988||0–4 || align="left"| Vancouver Canucks (season) ||2–4–0

|7||W||October 21, 1988||6–4 || align="left"| Pittsburgh Penguins (season) ||3–4–0

|8||T||October 23, 1988||3–3 OT|| align="left"| @ Detroit Red Wings (season) ||3–4–1

|9||L||October 25, 1988||4–7 || align="left"| Buffalo Sabres (season) ||3–5–1

|10||W||October 28, 1988||5–3 || align="left"| Hartford Whalers (season) ||4–5–1

|11||L||October 29, 1988||0–3 || align="left"| @ Hartford Whalers (season) ||4–6–1

|12||W||November 1, 1988||3–2 || align="left"| Philadelphia Flyers (season) ||5–6–1

|13||T||November 3, 1988||3–3 OT|| align="left"| Winnipeg Jets (season) ||5–6–2

|14||W||November 6, 1988||6–5 || align="left"| New York Rangers (season) ||6–6–2

|15||L||November 9, 1988||2–3 OT|| align="left"| Edmonton Oilers (season) ||6–7–2

|16||T||November 11, 1988||3–3 OT|| align="left"| New York Islanders (season) ||6–7–3

|17||W||November 12, 1988||6–3 || align="left"| @ Washington Capitals (season) ||7–7–3

|18||W||November 15, 1988||4–2 || align="left"| @ St. Louis Blues (season) ||8–7–3

|19||L||November 17, 1988||3–5 || align="left"| Calgary Flames (season) ||8–8–3

|20||L||November 19, 1988||2–3 || align="left"| Washington Capitals (season) ||8–9–3

|21||L||November 20, 1988||1–7 || align="left"| @ Philadelphia Flyers (season) ||8–10–3

|22||L||November 23, 1988||2–3 || align="left"| @ Calgary Flames (season) ||8–11–3

|23||T||November 25, 1988||2–2 OT|| align="left"| @ Vancouver Canucks (season) ||8–11–4

|24||L||November 29, 1988||3–9 || align="left"| @ Los Angeles Kings (season) ||8–12–4

|25||L||December 3, 1988||3–5 || align="left"| Philadelphia Flyers (season) ||8–13–4

|26||L||December 4, 1988||2–6 || align="left"| @ Philadelphia Flyers (season) ||8–14–4

|27||W||December 7, 1988||5–1 || align="left"| Washington Capitals (season) ||9–14–4

|28||W||December 9, 1988||6–5 || align="left"| New York Islanders (season) ||10–14–4

|29||T||December 10, 1988||4–4 OT|| align="left"| @ Pittsburgh Penguins (season) ||10–14–5

|30||W||December 13, 1988||4–3 || align="left"| St. Louis Blues (season) ||11–14–5

|31||W||December 15, 1988||6–3 || align="left"| Toronto Maple Leafs (season) ||12–14–5

|32||L||December 17, 1988||2–5 || align="left"| @ New York Islanders (season) ||12–15–5

|33||W||December 18, 1988||5–3 || align="left"| @ Chicago Blackhawks (season) ||13–15–5

|34||T||December 21, 1988||5–5 OT|| align="left"| @ Winnipeg Jets (season) ||13–15–6

|35||T||December 23, 1988||2–2 OT|| align="left"| Pittsburgh Penguins (season) ||13–15–7

|36||L||December 26, 1988||1–5 || align="left"| @ New York Rangers (season) ||13–16–7

|37||L||December 27, 1988||5–7 || align="left"| New York Rangers (season) ||13–17–7

|38||L||December 29, 1988||2–6 || align="left"| Boston Bruins (season) ||13–18–7

|39||L||December 31, 1988||6–8 || align="left"| @ Pittsburgh Penguins (season) ||13–19–7

|40||W||January 6, 1989||5–4 || align="left"| Buffalo Sabres (season) ||14–19–7

|41||W||January 7, 1989||5–2 || align="left"| Detroit Red Wings (season) ||15–19–7

|42||W||January 9, 1989||5–4 || align="left"| @ New York Rangers (season) ||16–19–7

|43||L||January 11, 1989||0–1 || align="left"| @ Montreal Canadiens (season) ||16–20–7

|44||L||January 13, 1989||3–5 || align="left"| New York Islanders (season) ||16–21–7

|45||W||January 15, 1989||1–0 || align="left"| Edmonton Oilers (season) ||17–21–7

|46||L||January 17, 1989||4–7 || align="left"| @ Quebec Nordiques (season) ||17–22–7

|47||L||January 19, 1989||4–5 || align="left"| Quebec Nordiques (season) ||17–23–7

|48||W||January 20, 1989||6–5 OT|| align="left"| @ Washington Capitals (season) ||18–23–7

|49||L||January 23, 1989||2–7 || align="left"| Minnesota North Stars (season) ||18–24–7

|50||T||January 24, 1989||2–2 OT|| align="left"| @ New York Islanders (season) ||18–24–8

|51||L||January 27, 1989||6–8 || align="left"| Hartford Whalers (season) ||18–25–8

|52||T||January 28, 1989||4–4 OT|| align="left"| @ Minnesota North Stars (season) ||18–25–9

|53||T||February 2, 1989||6–6 OT|| align="left"| @ Los Angeles Kings (season) ||18–25–10

|54||W||February 5, 1989||4–2 || align="left"| @ Edmonton Oilers (season) ||19–25–10

|55||W||February 9, 1989||6–3 || align="left"| @ Detroit Red Wings (season) ||20–25–10

|56||L||February 11, 1989||4–5 || align="left"| @ Montreal Canadiens (season) ||20–26–10

|57||W||February 13, 1989||8–1 || align="left"| Toronto Maple Leafs (season) ||21–26–10

|58||L||February 15, 1989||3–5 || align="left"| @ Buffalo Sabres (season) ||21–27–10

|59||L||February 17, 1989||2–3 OT|| align="left"| @ Winnipeg Jets (season) ||21–28–10

|60||L||February 18, 1989||3–5 || align="left"| @ Toronto Maple Leafs (season) ||21–29–10

|61||L||February 20, 1989||4–7 || align="left"| @ New York Rangers (season) ||21–30–10

|62||L||February 24, 1989||2–6 || align="left"| Philadelphia Flyers (season) ||21–31–10

|63||T||February 26, 1989||1–1 OT|| align="left"| Los Angeles Kings (season) ||21–31–11

|64||T||February 28, 1989||3–3 OT|| align="left"| Boston Bruins (season) ||21–31–12

|65||L||March 1, 1989||1–4 || align="left"| @ Pittsburgh Penguins (season) ||21–32–12

|66||W||March 3, 1989||6–3 || align="left"| New York Rangers (season) ||22–32–12

|67||W||March 5, 1989||2–0 || align="left"| Minnesota North Stars (season) ||23–32–12

|68||L||March 7, 1989||2–6 || align="left"| @ St. Louis Blues (season) ||23–33–12

|69||W||March 8, 1989||7–5 || align="left"| @ Chicago Blackhawks (season) ||24–33–12

|70||L||March 11, 1989||2–3 OT|| align="left"| @ New York Islanders (season) ||24–34–12

|71||L||March 14, 1989||1–5 || align="left"| Calgary Flames (season) ||24–35–12

|72||L||March 16, 1989||1–2 || align="left"| Pittsburgh Penguins (season) ||24–36–12

|73||L||March 18, 1989||1–3 || align="left"| Chicago Blackhawks (season) ||24–37–12

|74||W||March 20, 1989||3–1 || align="left"| Vancouver Canucks (season) ||25–37–12

|75||L||March 23, 1989||3–5 || align="left"| @ Boston Bruins (season) ||25–38–12

|76||L||March 25, 1989||4–5 || align="left"| @ Pittsburgh Penguins (season) ||25–39–12

|77||W||March 27, 1989||5–3 || align="left"| Philadelphia Flyers (season) ||26–39–12

|78||L||March 29, 1989||4–5 OT|| align="left"| New York Islanders (season) ||26–40–12

|79||L||April 1, 1989||4–6 || align="left"| @ Washington Capitals (season) ||26–41–12

|80||W||April 2, 1989||7–4 || align="left"| Washington Capitals (season) ||27–41–12

Legend:

Playoffs The 1988–89 season was a disappointing one for the Devils. Just a year after their cinderella 1987–88 campaign in which they fell one win short of reaching the Stanley Cup Finals, the team failed to make the playoffs altogether, managing only a fifth-place finish in the Patrick Division with a roster largely intact from the previous season.

Player statistics

Forwards Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalties in minutes

Player GP G A Pts PIM John MacLean 74 42 45 87 122 Kirk Muller 80 31 43 74 119 Patrik Sundström 65 28 41 69 36 Aaron Broten 80 16 43 59 81 Brendan Shanahan 68 22 28 50 115 Pat Verbeek 77 26 21 47 189 Mark Johnson 40 13 25 38 24 Doug Brown 63 15 10 25 15 Claude Loiselle 74 7 14 21 209 Pat Conacher 55 7 5 12 14 Anders Carlsson 47 4 8 12 20 David Maley 68 5 6 11 249 Perry Anderson 39 3 6 9 128 Paul Ysebaert 5 0 4 4 0 Steve Rooney 25 3 1 4 79 Jon Morris 4 0 2 2 0 Alan Stewart 6 0 2 2 15 Chris Cichocki 2 0 1 1 2 Janne Ojanen 3 0 1 1 2 George McPhee 1 0 1 1 2 Kevin Todd 1 0 0 0 0

Defensemen Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalties in minutes

Player GP G A Pts PIM Tom Kurvers 74 16 50 66 38 Jim Korn 65 15 16 31 212 Tommy Albelin 46 7 24 31 40 Jack O'Callahan 36 5 21 26 51 Joe Cirella 80 3 19 22 155 Randy Velischek 80 4 14 18 70 Bruce Driver 27 1 15 16 24 Craig Wolanin 56 3 8 11 69 Ken Daneyko 80 5 5 10 283 Jamie Huscroft 15 0 2 2 51 Eric Weinrich 2 0 0 0 0 Corey Foster 2 0 0 0 0

Goaltending Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; SO = Shutouts; GAA = Goals against average Player GP W L T SO GAA Sean Burke 62 22 31 9 3 3.84 Bob Sauvé 15 4 5 1 0 4.67 Craig Billington 3 1 1 0 0 4.71 Chris Terreri 8 0 4 2 2.69 Draft picks The Devils' draft picks at the 1988 NHL entry draft. Rd # Pick # Player Nat Pos Team (League) Notes1 12Corey FosterDPeterborough Petes (OHL)2 23Jeff ChristianLWLondon Knights (OHL)3 54Zdeno CigerLWMartimex ZTS Martin HC (Czechoslovak Extraliga)4 65Matt RuchtyLWBowling Green State University (CCHA)4 75Scott LuikRWMiami University (CCHA)5 96Chris NelsonDRochester Jr. Americans (MJHL)6 117Chad JohnsonCRochester Jr. Americans (MJHL)7 138Chad EricksonGWarroad H.S. (Minnesota)8 159Bryan LaFortGWaltham H.S. (Massachusetts)9 180Sergei SvetlovRWMoscow Dynamo (Soviet League)10 201 Bob WoodsDBrandon Wheat Kings (WHL)10 207Alexander SemakCMoscow Dynamo (Soviet League)11 222Chuck HughesGCatholic Memorial H.S. (Massachusetts)12 243Michael PohlFSB Rosenheim (DEL)S17Tim BudyLWColorado College (WCHA)

See also 1988–89 NHL season

Notes

References