155 replies to this topic

[vadvlfan]

He is one of only four Devils that have three rings with the team. I fully appreciate much more since he left. I don't blame him for moving on as he would have been forever be judged in a Devils uniform in the shadow of Stevens. Winning with Anaheim solidified his greatness.

I hold the Devils core four of Stevens, Nieds, Dano and Rafi in the same esteem I hold Savard, Robinson, Lapointe, Bouchard as the greatest defense core in league history.

Nieds was a great Devil and the team loved him (I still remember Big Jim McKenzie crushing Domi in their first visit to NJ after his cheapshot in the playoffs).

This post says it all for me. I've always liked him, but never felt lou gave him the respect he deserved. No neids=no cup.
Unfortunatly, there will be assclown fans that will still boo him.

[Risky]

I won't boo him, but this team was severely hurt by his departure. It's great, I love him, I have his jersey, I just don't think it should be retired.

[Revan]

If they are planning to do this it should be put off until next season...a nice touch would be to do it when the Ducks where in town.

That's a big NO. We know how the Devils fans feel about the Ducks and the whole situation. Plus, Scoty has been associated with Anaheim for a good few years now, so a lot of young people remember him mainly as a Duck. Why add to it? This is our party. He won three Cups here. Most of his international accomplishments also came when he was still a Devil. I say let's celebrate his Devils days and don't give a damn about his the times he had with Anaheim during this ceremony.

I think his number should definitely be retired. But whether it's this season or the next one... I'm kind of indifferent. Maybe it's indeed better to wait a few months to prepare it really well. Plus, the later this comes, the less fans are still going to hold a grudge and boo him.

[El Diablo]

This topic has been beaten to death - countless threads , polls etc. It always comes back to about the same conclusion.. most devils fans want his jersey retired -- but not all.. on this board easily 60/40
So if there such a divide on the overall decision, then it does not serve the overall devils constituency.
Do not retire his jersey ...

[DaneykoIsGod]

I have a feeling that if Niedermayer won the Conn Smythe in 2003 like he deserved, his New Jersey legacy would be viewed differently.

[Pepperkorn]

It's sad how many people are still bitter about him taking less money to play with his brother.

It's so sad how some people cannot accept that not everyone is a Neidermayer fan. Just because I have never agreed with anyone about Neids doesn't mean I'm bitter. I wish we still had all the posts since 2001 so you can see how often I wrote how much I disliked Neids while he was on the team.

His leaving confirmed my feelings and I stated I would eat all my words if he re-signed with the Devils.

I HATED the way he handles his role as Captain on this team. I just find his reticence INFURIATING! I find his heartfelt soul searching insincere - just procrastination, making sure no one KNOWS what a prick he is at heart.

[ATLL765]

He deserves to have his number retired without a doubt. Anyone who says otherwise is just 100% wrong and every reason they have for thinking the way they do is a crappy reason. Niedermayer spent many great years here and contributed to the success of this team in ways that very few players have. To deny him of this is to deny that he had that great an impact on this team and that's just plain wrong.

[Jerrydevil]

Niedermayer spent many great years here.

The years were great. Too bad he wasn't until 10 years into his career. I don't want it to seem like I'm getting on the guy for being a very good player, but we are talking about a number retirement.

[MadDog2020]

The years were great. Too bad he wasn't until 10 years into his career. I don't want it to seem like I'm getting on the guy for being a very good player, but we are talking about a number retirement.

Ken Daneyko has his number retired, and he's not a HOF'er. Niedermayer is. Niedermayer became a HOF player while he was still a Devil. He deserves to have his number retired by this organization. Everyone is entitled to their opinion on Nieds (I, quite frankly, can't understand the lingering biterness among some and it drives me insane, but whatever), but no one can deny that #27 deserves to go to the rafters.

[CRASHER]

Niedermayer held out TWICE too..... don't forget that........

I never really warmed up to him either, he always had the talent but he always seemed to lack that extra passion you want from a top-end guy....


To me the real question is..... now that the Vagine is traded.... do you put MacLean's #15 up.... and how weird would THAT be in the same year you fired him as coach

[ATLL765]

MacLean without a doubt deserves to have his #15 retired. Unfortunately this year I'm sure has put a sour taste in many people's mouth. I just hope it doesn't ruin all the other things MacLean has done for this team. I mean, he scored the most important goal in franchise history. If that doesn't qualify you for number retirement, what does?

[Jerrydevil]

Ken Daneyko has his number retired, and he's not a HOF'er. Niedermayer is. Niedermayer became a HOF player while he was still a Devil. He deserves to have his number retired by this organization. Everyone is entitled to their opinion on Nieds (I, quite frankly, can't understand the lingering biterness among some and it drives me insane, but whatever), but no one can deny that #27 deserves to go to the rafters.

It ain't bitterness. Some people just don't get that. Even when you tell them it isn't. Because they're dense.

But when he gets his number retired, good for him. He had a lot of good years here and was an important player here.

[jscags]

Does anyone remember when Stevens was awarded to the Devils from the Blues that he refused to report to the Devils. Don't get me wrong, Stevens was a big reason that they won the 3 Cups, but never would have done it without Niedermayer. It is a joke if he doesn't get that honor.

[jim777]

Scotty was a world class talent that would have thrived anywhere. I will NEVER forget "the Goal" against the Wings in the Cup final - I damn near dislocated my shoulder jumping out of my then new recliner and caused my new wife's best friend to spill a cup of coffee into her lap out of shock! LOL. Good times He was born a Hall of Famer and he may well have been much more famous with much more gaudy numbers had he been a Red Wing from the start. Still.......I won't pay through the nose for tickets when #27 is raised to the rafters, but I will definitely watch it on TV. He was a great Devil, but he would have had greater offensive numbers i think, and I think H thinks that as well, had he played elsewhere that wasn't so hell bent on defense first for defensemen. I WILL pay through the nose when 26 is raised to the rafters, though 27 was the more talented and naturally gifted player.

My 9 year old son is playing hockey now, and wants to be a "stay at home" defenseman (and he's good, too), but I always tell him the defenseman to model himself after is Niedermeyer. We were lucky to have Scotty in the 90's, like we were lucky to have Stevens, so I have no problem with retiring his number, He gave us 12 great years and i definitely appreciate all that went into that. we certainly don't have aline that adds up to him alone now. I would hope that now that he's retired he's happy he ended up here, and doesn't regret his time here. I'm honestly not sure sure about that. I guess I'm glad he didn't follow Driver and Gomez and Holik to the Rags.

And thanks again Tom Kurvers and the Leafs!

[NJDevsRock]

It's so sad how some people cannot accept that not everyone is a Neidermayer fan. Just because I have never agreed with anyone about Neids doesn't mean I'm bitter. I wish we still had all the posts since 2001 so you can see how often I wrote how much I disliked Neids while he was on the team.

His leaving confirmed my feelings and I stated I would eat all my words if he re-signed with the Devils.

I HATED the way he handles his role as Captain on this team. I just find his reticence INFURIATING! I find his heartfelt soul searching insincere - just procrastination, making sure no one KNOWS what a prick he is at heart.

Exactly, I didn't like him while he was HERE, it has nothing to do with him leaving, or his talent, there is just something about him I didn't like. I don't know why people find it so hard to understand it has nothing to do with his talent or his leaving, it's his personality. He wasn't even on the Devils and his sitting out half a year and then coming back while he played for the Ducks hit me wrong.

I will say it one more time, some fans just never took to him, while appreciating his talent and his contribution to the team, it's as simple as that.

[HellOnICE]

They need to wait until next season. What's the rush. I always thought, not that it matters, they should announce this prior to the season with a game against the Ducks (If Anaheim plays us next season?).

I'd also like to wait because I think Sergei Brylin should be there, and perhaps he'll retire this off season and be able to make it back to town - or in some fashion they could work it out with SKA if he plays next season.

[Maddog]

That's a big NO. We know how the Devils fans feel about the Ducks and the whole situation. Plus, Scoty has been associated with Anaheim for a good few years now, so a lot of young people remember him mainly as a Duck. Why add to it? This is our party. He won three Cups here. Most of his international accomplishments also came when he was still a Devil. I say let's celebrate his Devils days and don't give a damn about his the times he had with Anaheim during this ceremony.

I think his number should definitely be retired. But whether it's this season or the next one... I'm kind of indifferent. Maybe it's indeed better to wait a few months to prepare it really well. Plus, the later this comes, the less fans are still going to hold a grudge and boo him.

\

I can see your point and it should be about his time in NJ, but if we did it on a night that the Ducks where here it would show there are no hard feelings and that the fans and the organazation don't feel a need to be petty.after all he did learn how to win here.

Edited by Maddog2009, 05 February 2011 - 02:06 PM.

[MDPucks]

Does anyone remember when Stevens was awarded to the Devils from the Blues that he refused to report to the Devils. Don't get me wrong, Stevens was a big reason that they won the 3 Cups, but never would have done it without Niedermayer. It is a joke if he doesn't get that honor.

And then as an RFA Stevens signed an offer sheet to go back to Saint Louis which we later found that the Blues had tampered.

I support the number being raised to the rafters next season. Doing it this season just reeks of a quick ceremony for a quickie gate similar to what the Yankees use to do in the 80's and early 90's.

Plan it out for next season sometime in October or November. Ask the NHL to schedule Toronto or Vancouver on a Saturday night so it'll get a HNIC audience and it'll avoid Friday night H.S. football. Or plan it for February 2012 on a Friday night to get the TSN audience like the Stevens ceremony did.

[Meals on Wheels]

Nieds' number should be up there along side Sarge's and Marty's. The 5 players that were all integral parts of the 3 championships. Brylin is also one of those guys who isn't a hall of famer but he gave his heart and soul to this organization and was a fan favorite for years. Nieds on the other hand is a hall of famer and I think retiring his number would bring some positive closure that apparently a lot of fans on here need.

[devilsfan26]

It's so sad how some people cannot accept that not everyone is a Neidermayer fan. Just because I have never agreed with anyone about Neids doesn't mean I'm bitter. I wish we still had all the posts since 2001 so you can see how often I wrote how much I disliked Neids while he was on the team.

His leaving confirmed my feelings and I stated I would eat all my words if he re-signed with the Devils.

I HATED the way he handles his role as Captain on this team. I just find his reticence INFURIATING! I find his heartfelt soul searching insincere - just procrastination, making sure no one KNOWS what a prick he is at heart.

Exactly, I didn't like him while he was HERE, it has nothing to do with him leaving, or his talent, there is just something about him I didn't like. I don't know why people find it so hard to understand it has nothing to do with his talent or his leaving, it's his personality. He wasn't even on the Devils and his sitting out half a year and then coming back while he played for the Ducks hit me wrong.

I will say it one more time, some fans just never took to him, while appreciating his talent and his contribution to the team, it's as simple as that.

If you didn't like him before he left then my post isn't aimed at you. I was just saying that his leaving alone is a crappy reason to dislike him.