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Should Brylin's #18 be up in the rafters?


Rock

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Saw the snippet today that Sarge is keeping up with the young fast guys, it got me thinking should 18 be retired?

I know he doesn't have the big numbers but anything the Devil's asked him to do he did well.  One of the 5 to win all 3 cups.

Me personally I'm in favor of retiring it.  What are your feelings on this?😎

 

PS I've been here so long I'm pretty sure we had this discussion already.  Just want to see how the feeling go as more time has passed.

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He's in the same boat as Daneyko to me.   I don't think Daneyko's number should be retired.
I'm also against Scott Niedermeyer, but less so.  (but if we're counting Stevens as a Devil for his 2nd half, I get counting Niedermeyer's first 3/4)

Brylin should absolutely be honored and cherished, but I don't view him the same as I do Brodeur, Stevens and Elias.

Edited by aylbert
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25 minutes ago, aylbert said:

He's in the same boat as Daneyko to me.   I don't think Daneyko's number should be retired.
I'm also against Scott Niedermeyer, but less so.  (but if we're counting Stevens as a Devil for his 2nd half, I get counting Niedermeyer's first 3/4)

Brylin should absolutely be honored and cherished, but I don't view him the same as I do Brodeur, Stevens and Elias.

Brylin is a ring of honor guy. He was very good, but not number retirement good. The reason Dano is up there is because he played 20 years as a Devil, bridging two eras, and was one of our first ever draft picks, on top of going out on top with his third Cup. He’s the only exception to the rule. I love Sarge, but I’m sorry- no way. Jersey retirements are for the truly special.  Sarge was good. He wasn’t special. And please don’t try and argue this with me, because we’ll never agree. 

Edited by MadDog2020
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I can literally convince myself either way, he is basically straddling the line. 

Based on his on-ice performance, no. 

Based on his longevity with the team as a player, maybe. 

But what about the fact that minus a 4 year trip back to the KHL after he retired from the Devils, he has been with the organization since the 1994-95 season, and has had what, 8+ years and continuing as a coach?

It’s a dedication to the team that few people ever show. But then again, you don’t retire a guy’s number for things he did while not wearing said number, do you?

Based on the above, my answer will remain “no”, but if they retire it, I will not be upset. 

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When I think of the guys in the rafters, one thing that comes to mind is that those teams minus that player would have likely not won a cup in the years the Devils won it.  They were integral part of those teams and without them they likely wouldn't have won them.

When I think of Brylin, while he was there for those cup wins, I think those 95, 2000 and 03 teams likely would have won the cup without him.  Brylin was also scratched for a bunch of games as he was a rookie during the 95 cup.  He's a ring of honor type of guy but not retiring number kind of guy.

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41 minutes ago, MadDog2020 said:

Brylin is a ring of honor guy. He was very good, but not number retirement good. The reason Dano is up there is because he played 20 years as a Devil, bridging two eras, and was one of our first ever draft picks, on top of going out on top with his third Cup. He’s the only exception to the rule. I love Sarge, but I’m sorry- no way. Jersey retirements are for the truly special.  Sarge was good. He wasn’t special. And please don’t try and argue this with me, because we’ll never agree. 

If there is ever a ring of honor again what other players should be up there?

Edited by Rock
I am an inept keyboardist
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43 minutes ago, MadDog2020 said:

Brylin is a ring of honor guy. He was very good, but not number retirement good. The reason Dano is up there is because he played 20 years as a Devil, bridging two eras, and was one of our first ever draft picks, on top of going out on top with his third Cup. He’s the only exception to the rule. I love Sarge, but I’m sorry- no way. Jersey retirements are for the truly special.  Sarge was good. He wasn’t special. And please don’t try and argue this with me, because we’ll never agree. 

+1

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2 minutes ago, MadDog2020 said:

Brylin is a ring of honor guy. He was very good, but not number retirement good. The reason Dano is up there is because he played 20 years as a Devil, bridging two eras, and was one of our first ever draft picks, on top of going out on top with his third Cup. He’s the only exception to the rule. I love Sarge, but I’m sorry- no way. Jersey retirements are for the truly special.  Sarge was good. He wasn’t special. And please don’t try and argue this with me, because we’ll never agree. 

You summed up Dano's qualifications perfectly.  He was a unique package, and the parts all came together in just the right way.  

Touched on this in another thread where this was brought up, but yeah, jersey retirements should be reserved for the very special.  The five guys currently up there are every bit that...in different ways (especially Dano), but most definitely worthy.  Few would argue against any of them being up there.

I'm guessing that if polled, those who have clear memories of Brylin playing would split their votes at best...I think the answer would be "No" by a slight majority (say 51-49 to 55-45).  He had some fine moments and was a pretty good player, but really, he was not some huge part of those championship teams...he was the guy who happened to be there for the ride.  And I don't want to sound like I'm knocking him, because I like him a lot.  And I think he should absolutely be a Ring Of Honor guy.  Unfortunately I've found if you don't think a guy is worthy of a particular honor, it's assumed that you don't think highly enough of him.  One thing that I'm pretty sure of is that plenty of Devils fans liked Brylin a hell of a lot, me included  Doesn't mean he should have his number retired though.

The problem also becomes if a guy like Brylin goes up...then why not a guy like Randy McKay?  Sounds crazy, sure, but McKay played in more regular season games (AND in the playoffs too), was also pretty productive at times (averaged about 23 G and 25 A per 82 GP from 1997-98 through 2000-01...his production compares very favorably with Brylin), and was here for a couple of Cups, and quite memorably as a part of the Crash Line...hell, on that note, why not Holik?  Yeah, he left to sign with the Rangers, but for the two Cups that he was here for, and his time here, did he not have more of an impact than Brylin?

To be clear, I am NOT trying to make any kind of real case for McKay or Holik...more saying that once the bar is lowered, then you can start making cases for other guys who probably shouldn't have cases made for them.  Once the Ring Of Honor happens again, put Brylin in there.  

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16 minutes ago, Colorado Rockies 1976 said:

You summed up Dano's qualifications perfectly.  He was a unique package, and the parts all came together in just the right way.  

Touched on this in another thread where this was brought up, but yeah, jersey retirements should be reserved for the very special.  The five guys currently up there are every bit that...in different ways (especially Dano), but most definitely worthy.  Few would argue against any of them being up there.

I'm guessing that if polled, those who have clear memories of Brylin playing would split their votes at best...I think the answer would be "No" by a slight majority (say 51-49 to 55-45).  He had some fine moments and was a pretty good player, but really, he was not some huge part of those championship teams...he was the guy who happened to be there for the ride.  And I don't want to sound like I'm knocking him, because I like him a lot.  And I think he should absolutely be a Ring Of Honor guy.  Unfortunately I've found if you don't think a guy is worthy of a particular honor, it's assumed that you don't think highly enough of him.  One thing that I'm pretty sure of is that plenty of Devils fans liked Brylin a hell of a lot, me included  Doesn't mean he should have his number retired though.

The problem also becomes if a guy like Brylin goes up...then why not a guy like Randy McKay?  Sounds crazy, sure, but McKay played in more regular season games (AND in the playoffs too), was also pretty productive at times (averaged about 23 G and 25 A per 82 GP from 1997-98 through 2000-01...his production compares very favorably with Brylin), and was here for a couple of Cups, and quite memorably as a part of the Crash Line...hell, on that note, why not Holik?  Yeah, he left to sign with the Rangers, but for the two Cups that he was here for, and his time here, did he not have more of an impact than Brylin?

To be clear, I am NOT trying to make any kind of real case for McKay or Holik...more saying that once the bar is lowered, then you can start making cases for other guys who probably shouldn't have cases made for them.  Once the Ring Of Honor happens again, put Brylin in there.  

IMO the only past Devil who is debatable for a jersey retirement is John MacLean.  However, I think that ship has sailed.

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16 minutes ago, Rock said:

If there is ever a ring of honor again what other players should be up there?

After Lou, I’d say Zajac would definitely be a ring of honor guy for me. Lemieux was here for 2 cups and won a conn smythe. It would be cool to see the crash line inducted together as a whole but I don’t know if Peluso is interested in that. 

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9 minutes ago, DevsMan84 said:

IMO the only past Devil who is debatable for a jersey retirement is John MacLean.  However, I think that ship has sailed.

Agree on both counts.  The problem is that when SO much time passes (MacLean last played here in 1997), it's more of an anticlimactic "Why now?" feeling, when a ceremony finally takes place.  

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17 minutes ago, Devil Dan 56 said:

After Lou, I’d say Zajac would definitely be a ring of honor guy for me. Lemieux was here for 2 cups and won a conn smythe. It would be cool to see the crash line inducted together as a whole but I don’t know if Peluso is interested in that. 

I'd say:

Holik (yeah, he signed with the Rangers, but while here, he fit in with the Devils' MO very well)

McKay

Brylin

Lemieux

Rafalski

Madden

Pandolfo

MacLean

Zajac

 

Arguments can probably be made for Terreri, Richer, Arnott, Sykora, and Driver...just not sure if any of them would be compelling enough, in spite of their contributions.

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7 minutes ago, DevsMan84 said:

What about Gomez as ROH?  I mean he came up pretty big in the 2000 and especially 2003 cup playoffs.

Definitely can be put in the conversation.

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I have a consensus for myself.
If guys like Zajac and Brylin will be coaches\assistant coaches, who will bring us SC, I`m for theirs retirement. For now? I`m not against, but I`m not the man on the green screen who will scream "JUST DO IT!"

Edited by Guadana
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2 hours ago, Rock said:

If there is ever a ring of honor again what other players should be up there?

Zajac, definitely. Johnny Mac should have a spot as well I think. Maybe even a guy like John Madden, who was a huge part of our early 2000’s success. I’d also give consideration to Randy McKay.

Edited by MadDog2020
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39 minutes ago, Satans Hockey said:

No. We shouldn't be retiring anyone's number for a very long time. Would need Hughes or Blackwood or Nico to lead us to some Cup wins. 

Nobody from the past, Brylin, Zajac, whoever should ever have their number retired. 

I'm not sure I understand why no one from previous teams should be retired. 

 

Brylin was the heart and soul of the team and one of those rare players who was willing to do whatever was asked. Totally deserves to have his number retired. We don't need to be the Rags, retiring evey guy who played more than a season, but I think we can be a little less stingy with retiring numbers especially for a guy like Brylin.

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14 minutes ago, CarpathianForest said:

I'm not sure I understand why no one from previous teams should be retired. 

 

Brylin was the heart and soul of the team and one of those rare players who was willing to do whatever was asked. Totally deserves to have his number retired. We don't need to be the Rags, retiring evey guy who played more than a season, but I think we can be a little less stingy with retiring numbers especially for a guy like Brylin.

You’re blowing up Brylin to be more than he was.  “Heart and soul of the team” is a bit over the top.

And the idea is to be stingy when it comes to retiring numbers.  No reason to cheapen the honor.  Save it for the players who’ve really earned it.

That being said, once the Ring of Honor is fired back up, I have no issues with the Devils being more generous there.

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1 hour ago, CarpathianForest said:

I'm not sure I understand why no one from previous teams should be retired. 

 

Brylin was the heart and soul of the team and one of those rare players who was willing to do whatever was asked. Totally deserves to have his number retired. We don't need to be the Rags, retiring evey guy who played more than a season, but I think we can be a little less stingy with retiring numbers especially for a guy like Brylin.

Because we haven't won sh!t cup wise since 03. Brylin was not the heart and soul of the team, that's extremely over dramatic. I liked him but let's not get carried away. 

I don't wanna be like the Rangers and Islanders who are retiring numbers 20+ years after they played just so they could sell more tickets and merch. 

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