Jersey Devils
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| Jersey Devils | |
|---|---|
| City | Cherry Hill, New Jersey |
| League | Eastern Hockey League |
| Operated | 1964–1973 |
| Home arena | Cherry Hill Arena |
| Colors | Red, Black, and White |
| Franchise history | |
| 1955-1964 | Philadelphia Ramblers |
| 1964-1973 | Jersey Devils |
The Jersey Devils was the name of a professional ice hockey team from Cherry Hill, New Jersey. They were not affiliated with the NHL New Jersey Devils.
The Devils were formed when the Philadelphia Ramblers, a member of the Eastern Hockey League, relocated to Cherry Hill at the end of the 1963-64 season. The Devils played in the Cherry Hill Arena until 1973, when the team folded along with the Eastern Hockey League (EHL).
The Devils had several notable players (below) and also won the highest scoring game in EHL history, a 16–15 over the Syracuse Blazers on February 24, 1968 at the Cherry Hill Arena before 4,583 fans.[1]
The EHL split into two fairly short-lived leagues. The Northern teams became the North American Hockey League while the Southern teams became the Southern Hockey League, however the Devils (who had been the southernmost franchise in the Northern Division of the EHL) did not join either.[2]
Notable players and coaches included:
- Bobby Taylor, who was later a backup goalie for the Philadelphia Flyers under Bernie Parent. He later became a color commentator on radio and television hockey broadcasts for the Flyers (1976-1992) and then the Tampa Bay Lightning (beginning in 1993); he has announced that he would retire from his position on the Lightning telecasts once the 2014-15 season ends.[3]
- Dick Sarrazin, who later played for the Philadelphia Flyers in the late 1960s and early 1970s.[4]
- Marcel Pelletier, who ended his twenty-year career as a player/coach with the Devils in 1969.[5]
- Rosaire Paiement played the 1966–67 season, scoring 125 points. He later played for the Philadelphia Flyers and Vancouver Canucks in the NHL.
- Vic Stasiuk, the Philadelphia Flyers second head coach was head coach of the Devils for two seasons, 1966–68.
- Gary Gresdal, who led the EHL in penalties in 1971–72 with 392 minutes.
- Larry Pleau, 1968–69 North Division Rookie of the Year who played several seasons with the Montreal Canadiens.
- Jamie Kennedy, 1970–71 North Division First Team All-Star Center who played briefly for the New York Raiders in the World Hockey Association. He is also a member of the Prince Edward Island Hall of Fame.[6]
- John Brophy, all time EHL career leader in penalty minutes (3822), who played his final season as a Devil in 1972–73. He later coached for one season (1978–79) for Birmingham Bulls of the WHA and three (1986–89) with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Season-by-season record
Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against, PIM = Penalties in minutes
| EHL Season | GP | W | L | T | Pts | GF | GA | PIM | Finish | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1964–65 | 72 | 34 | 34 | 4 | 72 | 297 | 312 | 902 | Fourth in Northern | Lost Quarter-final to Long Island Ducks, 1-3 |
| 1965-66 | 72 | 25 | 43 | 4 | 54 | 239 | 311 | 733 | Fifth in Northern | Out of playoffs |
| 1966-67 | 72 | 39 | 30 | 3 | 81 | 292 | 210 | 1156 | Second in Northern | Won Quarter-final over Johnstown Jets, 3-2 Won Semi-final over Clinton Comets 4-2 Lost Final to Nashville Dixie Flyers 1-4 |
| 1967-68 | 72 | 17 | 51 | 4 | 38 | 251 | 458 | 1231 | Fifth in Northern | Out of playoffs |
| 1968-69 | 72 | 26 | 39 | 7 | 59 | 245 | 301 | 1043 | Fifth in Northern | Out of playoffs |
| 1969-70 | 74 | 20 | 48 | 6 | 46 | 278 | 440 | 1183 | Sixth in Northern | Out of playoffs |
| 1970-71 | 74 | 22 | 39 | 13 | 57 | 282 | 353 | 0 | Sixth in Northern | Out of playoffs |
| 1971-72 | 75 | 25 | 40 | 10 | 60 | 237 | 294 | 1628 | Sixth in Northern | Out of playoffs |
| 1972-73 | 76 | 23 | 41 | 12 | 58 | 239 | 300 | 0 | Fourth in Central | Out of playoffs |
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