Devils Ranked 25th With the Most-Engaged Fanbase

In a recent poll by OntarioBets.com , the New Jersey Devils have the 25th most-engaged fan base. Despite only three playoff appearances in the last 13 seasons, the young core in Newark is on the cusp of something special.

It's a shame the fans are not as engaged with Jack Huges, Jesper Bratt, and Dougie Hamilton in the lineup compared to the days of Martin Brodeur and Scott Stevens.

Considering most of their divisional rivals are within a six-hour car ride, staying competitive in a hockey-enriched section of the country is tough.

However, the figures haven't always been this way, and hopefully, the team's future successes can help the franchise climb these rankings.

Devils Origins and Championship Era

When the Devils moved to East Rutherford in 1982, they averaged 12,489 fans a game . They didn't creep over 13k until 1988 when they made a ran to the Prince of Wales (Eastern Conference) Final.

However, the best days were just on the horizon. In 1995, they exceeded 16,000 fans for the first time and won their first Stanley Cup title.

During the Devils' golden era from 1995 to 2003, they averaged 16,216 fans, peaking at a then-franchise record of 17,296 in 1998.

Despite an aging arena and deploying a system (the trap) deemed boring, the Devils secured a record 379-212-95-18 , good enough for third best during this span.

Outside of the team's trip to the Stanley Cup Final in 2012, which resulted in an uptick in attendance (17,114) in 2012-13, they have never averaged more than 16,000 in the 17 years since the Prudential Center opened until last year.

However, something changed in 2023-24, which saw a record 17,598 fans attend Devils games.

After some playoff-less seasons and a global pandemic, it is understandable that interest in professional hockey in New Jersey has dropped.

But for over half a decade, their young core has been giving fans something to cheer for, raising their hopes for another championship banner soon.

So, to hear that the Devils currently rank 25th overall in fan engagement does by no means indicate the team on the ice isn't one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference.