The New Jersey Devils have their rivals on the Hudson River under control this year and had another W to celebrate in addition to their 5-0 victory over the New York Rangers.
Over five years ago, the Devils and Rangers had the first and second overall selection of the NHL Draft, and the selection was easy.
For a long time it was assumed that Jack Hughes and Kaapo Kakko were the first and second picks that year, and that’s exactly what happened.
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New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes (86) and New York Rangers right wing Kaapo Kakko (24) stand during a game between the New York Rangers and the New Jersey Devils on November 18, 2023 at the Prudential Center in Newark for a duel in , New Jersey.
But that night, at a Rangers draft party at Madison Square Garden, Rangers fans applauded the Devils for choosing Hughes – whether because they preferred Kakko or because they were torn between the two players and didn’t want to be torn back and forth.
Well, the two players had very different tenures on their respective teams. Hughes has become a Calder Trophy candidate, while Kakko not only failed to live up to the hype, but the Rangers also traded him to the Rangers earlier this month Seattle Kraken.
The two opponents met in Newark on Monday, and it was the Rangers’ first game against New Jersey since the Kakko trade, and the Devils and their fans had a field day.
New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes (86) celebrates with his teammates after scoring a goal against the Chicago Blackhawks during the second period of an NHL hockey game on Friday, October 15, 2021, in Newark, NJ (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
On the scoreboard, the Devils played a video of one of the aforementioned Kakko celebrations by Rangers fans, and the camera immediately panned to Hughes, who couldn’t help but laugh.
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To add insult to injury, Hughes scored two goals in the Devils’ 5-0 win. After the win, the Devils posted a video of the same video, but photoshopped an “L” onto MSG’s scoreboard.
It’s been a disappointing season for the Rangers, who, after being Stanley Cup contenders last year, may narrowly miss the playoffs. Meanwhile, New Jersey can seriously contend for the Cup this year with Hughes leading the way.
New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes (86) is congratulated by his teammates on his second goal in the third period against the New York Rangers during an NHL hockey game on Tuesday, March 22, 2022, in Newark, NJ. The Devils won 7-4. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
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The Devils’ 49 points this season are tied for the second most in the league. The Devils also defeated the Rangers in the 2023 playoffs.
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