The New Jersey Devils own their Hudson River rivals this year and were able to celebrate more wins besides their 5-0 victory over the New York Rangers.
More than five years ago, the Devils and Rangers had the No. 1 and No. 2 overall picks in the NHL Draft, respectively, and the selection was simple.
For a long time it was thought that the first and second picks that year would be Jack Hughes and Kaapo Kakko, and that's exactly what happened.
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New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes, 86, and New York Rangers line up for a matchup during the New York Rangers vs. New Jersey Devils game at Prudential Center in Newark on November 18, 2023. Kaapo Kakko, 24, right wing, New Jersey.
However, at the Rangers' draft party that night at Madison Square Garden, Rangers fans praised the Devils for selecting Hughes. I don't know if it's because they liked the cool look or if they were torn between two players and didn't want to be torn between them. Debatable.
Well, the two players have had diametrically opposed tenures with their respective teams. Hughes was a Calder Trophy candidate, but Kakko not only failed to live up to the hype, but the Rangers traded him to the Seattle Kraken earlier this month.
The two opponents met in Newark on Monday, the Rangers' first game against New Jersey since trading Kakko, and the Devils and their fans had a field day.
New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes, 86, stands with his team after scoring a goal against the Chicago Blackhawks during the second period of an NHL hockey game on Friday, Oct. 15, 2021, in Newark, New Jersey. celebrate with mate (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
On the scoreboard, the Devils played a video of Rangers fans celebrating the aforementioned parenthesis, and the camera quickly panned to Hughes, who couldn't help but laugh.
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To add insult to injury, Hughes scored twice in the Devils' 5-0 victory. After the win, the Devils posted the same video but with an “L” Photoshopped onto the MSG scoreboard.
It's been a disappointing season for the Rangers, who were favorites to win the Stanley Cup last year but could miss out on the playoffs. Meanwhile, New Jersey could make a serious run toward Cup contention this year with Hughes leading the charge.
New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes, 86, scores his second goal of the third period against the New York Rangers during an NHL hockey game on Tuesday, March 22, 2022, in Newark, New Jersey. The Devils were congratulated by their teammates and won 7-4. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
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The Devils' 49 points this season are tied for second in the league. The Devils also beat the Rangers in the 2023 playoffs.
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