Schwei: Devils' Blend Of Young And Old

By John Schweibacher
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The New Jersey Devils begin the 2011-12 regular season this weekend, looking to get back to the postseason after missing the playoffs last spring for the first time since 1996.

Just has been the case in all but one season since the 2005 lockout, the Devils have a new head coach. Peter DeBoer is the 4th different head coach to begin the campaign for New Jersey over the last four seasons and the 6th in the last seven.

DeBoer will have an 18-year-old player in his opening night lineup and that youngster, defenseman Adam Larsson, is set to be joined by the last 18-year-old to suit up for New Jersey, Petr Sykora.

Sykora, who last played in the NHL two seasons ago with the Minnesota Wild, will turn 35 in November. The RW/C was the last 18-year-old to play for the Devils, making his NHL debut back on October 25th, 1995, the same year he was drafted 18th overall by New Jersey.

This year, 18-year-old Adam Larsson, who was selected with the 4th pick in the NHL Draft, will become the 7th-youngest player to suit up for New Jersey when he takes the ice opening night.

Here is a list of the youngest Devils at the time of their New Jersey debut (including Larsson):

· Scott Niedermayer 18 years, 1 month and 15 days.
· Craig Wolanin 18 years, 2 months and 13 days.
· Kirk Muller 18 years, 8 months and 4 days.
· Brendan Shanahan 18 years, 8 months and 16 days.
· Pat Verbeek 18 years, 9 months and 21 days.
· John MacLean 18 years, 10 months and 15 days.
· Adam Larsson 18 years, 10 months and 21 days. (10/8/11)
· Petr Sykora 18 years, 11 months and 9 days.

The Devils' goaltending tandem of Martin Brodeur and Johan Hedberg will return this season, and both veteran net-minders will find themselves climbing this list; the oldest players to suit up for New Jersey:

· Igor Larionov 43 years, 4 months and 7 days.
· Tommy Albelin 41 years, 11 months and 23 days.
· Brendan Shanahan 40 years, 3 months and 5 days.
· Scott Stevens 39 years, 9 months and 6 days.
· Martin Brodeur 39 years, 5 months and 3 days. (10/8/11)
· Ken Daneyko 39 years, 1 month and 23 days.
· John Vanbiesbrouck 38 years, 7 months and 9 days.
· Johan Hedberg 38 years, 5 months and 4 days. (10/8/11)
· Jim Dowd 38 years, 4 months and 10 days.

Petr Sykora last played for New Jersey back in 2001-02, last taking the ice for the Devils in Game 6 of their first-round playoff series with Carolina. Sykora's 350 career points with New Jersey are the 11th-most in franchise history. He will become the 21st player to play for the Devils and later appear for the club again after being re-acquired.

The Devils' first two games of 2011-12 are against the Philadelphia Flyers on Friday night and the Carolina Hurricanes on Columbus Day afternoon at Prudential Center.

Oddly, Johan Hedberg got the decision in all 10 games New Jersey played vs. Philadelphia and Carolina last season.

Hedberg got all six starts against the Flyers in 2010-11, going 3 and 3 with a 2.65 goals against average. Martin Brodeur appeared just once against Philadelphia in relief of Hedberg and did not allow a goal.

Brodeur started just once vs. the 'Canes last season, allowing three goals before being pulled just eight minutes into the game. Hedberg was charged with the loss in that contest, allowing three goals in the 6-3 defeat but was 3 and 0 with just five goals against in his three starts against Carolina.

The Flyers two biggest off-season acquisitions were goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov and left wing Jaromir Jagr. New Jersey went 1 and 0 against Bryzgalov last season, beating the goaltender and the Phoenix Coyotes, 3-0, on December 15th. Bryzgalov is 1 and 1 in his two career outings against the Devils.

Jagr has not played in the NHL since 2007-08 and last faced the Devils while with the Rangers that post-season. Jagr has played 91 career regular season games against New Jersey, scoring 33 goals and adding 49 assists.

One new assistant coach on Pete DeBoer's staff will be former Devil Dave Barr. Barr played right wing for New Jersey back in 1991-92 and 1992-93 after being awarded to the Devils along with Randy McKay as compensation for Detroit's signing of Troy Crowder from New Jersey.

Schwei's Plus/Minus:

Plus: Opening Night. Devils are 17-6-5 all-time in season openers, despite going 0-1-1 in their last two opening night contests.

Minus: Travis Zajac. Devils' ironman streak of 401 consecutive games played will come to an end Friday night as center recovers from Achilles tendon surgery.

What's in store for the Devils in 2011-12? Make your predictions in the comments below...