SUMMER SERIES: Doc’s 10-greatest Devils calls — #1 — Adam

NEWARK —

 

I debated, a long time, whether to flip this with the first Cup win from 1995. But from a pure excitement point of view, there was never a more exciting call -- or, for that matter, moment -- that Doc called for the Devils. We go back to just two years ago in the Eastern Conference Finals. Game No. 6 in overtime. To me, the greatest Doc Emrick Devils call of all time.

SUMMER SERIES: Doc’s 10-greatest Devils calls — #2 — The Championship to New Jersey! The Devils win the Stanley Cup!

Of the five times the Devils have played in the Stanley Cup Finals, Doc was behind the mic for just two of them — 1995 and 2012. Gary Thorne did the honours in 2000, 2001 and 2003 for ABC Sports. Doc had the clincher in 1995, which was broadcast on Fox (he also did Game 1 of the series v. Detroit that year, while Thorne had Games 2 & 3 for ESPN).

No. 2 on my list of Doc’s 10-greatest Devils calls — the first championship in 1995. The final seconds.

Coming tomorrow, what will be my top Doc Devils call of all time? Be sure to check back at 3 p.m. ET Friday.

Now that the Finals are over, we’re going to slow it down a bit the rest of the summer — and look ahead to the next season which is just 3 months away

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. —

Well, the summer is officially here.

And with that, we may slow things down a bit here at NewJersey-Devils.com. But we will certainly look ahead to what should be a very intriguing summer for General Manager Lou Lamoriello.

Perhaps the biggest news will come when at some point on or after 1 July, we learn that Martin Brodeur is no longer a member of the New Jersey Devils.

Will Lou be smiling much
this summer? Hope so!

My gut tells me he winds up with the Montréal Canadiens, as Cary Price’s backup. That may seem bizarre given what we just saw with goaltender Dustin Tokarski in the Canadiens’ run to the Eastern Conference Finals. But for the Habs, having a chance to have Brodeur in their sweater might just be too attractive -- just for a year -- to pass up.

We’ll see.

It’ll also be intriguing to see what Lou does.

Will he buy out a contract?

Where will this guy
wind up? My gut
says in Montreal.

Will the ownership group allow him to open up his wallet to sign a significant scorer -- or perhaps two?

Will the blue line get solidified?

How will the Devils, at no. 30, draft?

Will there be any salary-dump trades?

Will there be A trade?

It all kicks off, in earnest, on July 1 -- so we hope to see you then.

In the meantime, we’ll have any news at it breaks, as well as the continuation of our SUMMER SERIES on Doc Emirick’s greatest Devils calls ... and more as it is warranted. So be sure to continue to follow what’s going on via our Facebook Group, Google+, by checking back here periodically -- or by signing up for instant e-mail alerts. Just put your e-mail address in the box, follow the prompts -- and anytime there's something new here, it’ll be delivered right to your inbox.

Lastly, we’d like to begin a new series -- sharing YOUR memories, your greatest memories, of being a Devils fan. I’ll be sharing mine throughout the summer -- and we will publish yours if you want them to be. Simply send them in the body of an e-mail message to kevincanessa@gmail.com ... or by clicking here.

Cheers, one and all!

 -- Kevin Canessa Jr.

SUMMER SERIES: Doc’s Greatest Calls — #6 — ‘Nice Move!’

We will simply call this one NICE MOVE.

After tries in 1992, 1994 and 1997, the Devils finally beat the Rangers in the post season — and it was as one-sided a series as the Devils have ever played — in 2006 after the return from the first-ever full-season lockout.

And who says Devils fans don’t fill Madison Square Garden?

This particular afternoon, they sure did. And were perhaps the loudest they were — even to this date — in that building.

This was the final goal scored in the series — and Patrik Elias had it.

SUMMER SERIES: Doc’s greatest Devils calls — #7 — ‘He Throws It Down & In ... He Scored a Goal’

Words not necessary. 1997. We will call this one DOWN & IN.

SUMMER SERIES: Doc Emrick’s 10-best NJD calls — #8 — ‘And Now Hauled Out For Lemieux...Yes! Yes!’

Perhaps the best first-round series the Devils have ever played in. It was 1994. The game before this one was a 4-OT thrilled in Buffalo.

And two nights later, the Devils bounced back brilliantly to beat Buffalo to go on to Round 2 against the Boston Bruins.

The “Yes, Yes!” is again Peter McNab, who had a real rough time holding his emotions in check back then.

One last thing to note about this Game 7 — the crowd was particularly juiced up this night. Two games earlier, Game No. 5, the fans were horrendously quiet — and someone, it may have been Chris Russo, called the fans out for being “lethargic.”

They weren’t this night, for sure.

SUMMER SERIES: My 10 favourite Doc Emrick Devils calls of all time — #10 — ‘Seemingly Harmless’

Let's start it off with No. 10 — First Round, 1995. We’ll call this one SEEMINGLY HARMLESS. (You’ll see why after watching it). Also notice how Jacques Lemaire almost looks disappointed, shaking his head with a smirk about.

I remember this game, not just because of the way it ended, but because I was supposed to be there for it — but a friend’s credit card got declined AFTER Ticketmaster told us the tickets were paid for. Glad I didn’t make the 180-mile car trip from Newport, R.I., to Jersey.

The game sold out (a rarity for Round 1 post-seasons games at that time) and I wound up watching it on television — though via the Bruins telecast on WSBK since I was in Newport, R.I.

Peter McNab is the voice you hear screaming “They did it!” Blaine Lacher is the Bruins’ goaltender at the time. The game had no goals and was in OT-1.