Rivalries exist all across the NHL, but for the New Jersey Devils, some feuds are more noticeable than others. Similar to the Toronto Maple Leafs against Boston Bruins and the Chicago Blackhawks against the St. Louis Blues, the Devils rivalries span across teams within their own division. It’s not a secret that each team will have a rival, it’s expected at this point. The Devils have been three-time Stanley Cup champs since they relocated to the Garden State in 1982. While the team’s had it’s ups and downs throughout the years, one thing has stayed consistent. That would be their team’s rivalries.
Tensions Have Been Brewing Within the Metro Division for Years
Battling Against the Blueshirts
The long-standing feud between the New York Rangers and the Devils puts the Rangers at number one on the list of the Devils rivals. These two teams have been at it for years. When the Devils relocated to New Jersey, the organization had to pay indemnities to the Rangers as well as the Philadelphia Flyers and New York Islanders. This was because of the rights needed to share the hockey market in New Jersey.
The 1990’s were riddled with Devils and Rangers playoff matchups, success and losses. In 1994 the Rangers defeated the Devils in the Eastern Conference Finals and went on to win the cup. The following year, the Devils won the cup in a 4 game sweep against the Detroit Red Wings. Later on in 1997 the Rangers defeated the Devils in the Eastern Conference semifinals. The teams met a few more times in the postseason over the past 20 years or so. Their most recent meeting was during the 2023 playoffs where the Rangers lost to the Devils in the first round.
The Enemy of my Enemy is (not) my Friend
Despite all of their differences, the Rangers and Devils do have one thing in common and that’s the Philadelphia Flyers. The Devils rivalry with the Flyers is sometimes referred to as the “Battle of the Turnpikes.” The name comes from the New Jersey Turnpike that’s used to access the city of Newark where the Devils home arena is located. This rivalry isn’t as intense in terms of history (truly nothing compares to the Devils-rangers rivalry), but fans of both teams remain very passionate. One important thing to note is that the Flyers practice in Southern New Jersey. This is what caused Devils fans to view it as the Flyers entering on their territory.
When it comes to games, the Devils beat the Flyers in Game six during the 1995 Eastern Conference Finals and as previously mentioned won the cup that same year. During the 1999-2000 NHL regular season, the Devils were leading the Eastern Conference and Atlantic Division before the Flyers overtook their spot. They met in a playoff setting at the end of that season once again in the Eastern Conference Finals. The flyers blew their 3-1 lead which lead to the Devils becoming Stanley Cup champions for the second time.
The two teams also meet often during the regular season. The most recent time their rivalry was showcased was during the 2024 Stadium Series. They took the rivalry to MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. There was a recorded attendance of 73,320 people and ended in a 6-3 Devils win.
A Storm to Weather
One of the recent New Jersey Devils rivalries which also came to a head during the playoffs is with the Carolina Hurricanes. It seems the pattern with the Devils rivalries is proximity and having the playoffs on the line. During the 2023 playoffs, tensions were high between the two teams. One of the more memorable moments came in the form of a fight between Jack Hughes and Sebastian Aho.
It could also be argued that these teams have had minor beef with each other because of Erik Haula. However, by the time Haula was on the Devils it had been about three years since he last played with the Canes. Haula’s time with the Hurricanes was unfortunately riddled with injuries, but now when the Devils visit PNC Arena you can hear the ‘Boos’ when the puck is on his stick.
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