Schwei: 27 Scott Niedermayer Facts

By John Schweibacher
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The New Jersey Devils will retire Scott Niedermayer's number 27 in a pre-game ceremony Friday night as Niedermayer joins fellow defensemen Scott Stevens and Ken Daneyko as the third player in Devils' history to have his number retired.

Here are 27 Scott Niedermayer facts as we approach the night in which his number will be raised to the rafters at Prudential Center:

1. The Devils acquired the #1 draft pick they used to select Niedermayer from the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for defenseman Tom Kurvers on 10/16/89.

2. New Jersey selected Niedermayer 3rd in the 1991 NHL Draft after Quebec (Eric Lindros) and San Jose (Pat Faloon).

3. Niedermayer is one of five players (along with Martin Brodeur, Scott Stevens, Ken Daneyko & Sergei Brylin) to play for each of the Devils' three Stanley Cup winning clubs.

4. Niedermayer is the only player to win every major North American and international championship in his career; the Memorial Cup, World Junior Championship gold, IIHF World Championship gold, two Olympic gold medals, four Stanley Cups and the World Cup.

5. Niedermayer appeared in the NHL all-star game five times while with the Devils and Ducks; 1998, 2001, 2004, 2008 and 2009.

6. In 2003-04, Niedermayer became the only New Jersey Devils defenseman to win the Norris Trophy.

7. Niedermayer made his NHL debut on 10/16/91 and registered his first career assist in a 4-2 loss to the Rangers at Madison Square Garden.

8. Niedermayer's first NHL goal came in a 6-1 road win against the San Jose Sharks and goaltender Brian Hayward on November 7th, 1992.

9. Niedermayer's final game with the Devils was on April 17th, 2004, a 3-1 loss to the Flyers in Game 5 of their first round playoff series. Niedermayer scored New Jersey's lone goal against goalie Robert Esche in the defeat.

10. Including Niedermayer, 10 players have worn number 27 for the New Jersey. Devils: Mike Mottau, David Clarkson, Barry Tallackson, Perry Anderson, Dave Marcinyshyn, Randy Velischek, Kirk Muller, Larry Floyd and Dwight Foster.

11. Niedermayer's final NHL game came with Anaheim on April 11, 2010, a 7-2 win over Edmonton. Niedermayer was named the games 3rd star, Teemu Selanne (who many believed may have also have been appearing in his final career game) was named the 2nd star while current Devil Ryan Carter was the games' number one star.

12. Scott and his brother, Rob are one of five brother combos to have played at one time for the Devils; Aaron and Neal Broten, Brian and Stephen Gionta, Claude and Jocelyn Lemieux and Peter and Patrik Sundstrom.

13. Niedermayer won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoff MVP for Anaheim during their Stanley Cup winning run in 2007. Joe Nieuwendyk is the only other player to win the Cup with New Jersey and the Conn Smythe with another club.

14. Claude Lemieux, Brian Rafalski and John Madden are the only players to win multiple Stanley Cups with the Devils and win at least one Cup with another team.

15. Niedermayer ranks 4th all-time in Devils' history with 476 points, trailing only Patrik Elias, John MacLean and Kirk Muller.

16. Niedermayer's 112 goals are the most among New Jersey defensemen and 19th among all skaters.

17. Niedermayer's 364 assists rank 2nd in club history, trailing only Patrik Elias.

18. A defenseman has scored 10 or more goals in a season 18 times in Devils' history, Niedermayer had seven of those 18, 10-plus goal scoring seasons.

19. Niedermayer is still the youngest player to appear in a game for the New Jersey Devils; 18 years, one month and 15 days old.

20. Ken Daneyko (1,283), Martin Brodeur (1,148), Patrik Elias (989), Scott Stevens (956) and John MacLean (934) are the only players to have appeared in more regular season games for the Devils than Niedermayer (892).

21. Brodeur (181), Daneyko (175) and Stevens (153) are the only players to have appeared in more post-season games for New Jersey than Niedermayer (146).

22. Niedermayer's 64 career post-season points are the most by any New Jersey Devils defenseman and rank 4th among all Devils skaters trailing only Patrik Elias (117), John MacLean (75) and Scott Gomez (65).

23. Niedermayer's scored 17 career playoff goals for New Jersey, tying him with both Scott Stevens and Brian Rafalski for the most career post-season goals among defensemen in club history.

24. Niedermayer's 16 assists in the 2003 post-season are the most by any Devils' player in club playoff history.

25. Niedermayer's first NHL playoff goal came in a 3-2 loss to the Bruins in Game 3 of their opening round series against goaltender Blaine Lacher on May 10th, 1995.

26. Niedermayer's 26 game-winning goals are the most in Devils' history among defensemen and tied for 9th among all New Jersey skaters.

27. Niedermayer assisted on Neal Broten's Stanley Cup clinching goal in Game 4 in 1995, scored the first goal in their 2-1 double-overtime Cup clinching win in Game 6 of the 2000 Finals and assisted on Mike Rupp's Cup clincher in Game 7 in 2003.