Don’t be surprised. The moment we found out that the New Jersey Devils were moving to Newark we knew that these days were inevitable.
It was only a matter of time before the best hockey club in the world would be competing again in the Stanley Cup Finals. And now, after only five seasons at The Rock, here they are, for the fifth time, battling the Western Conference Champion for the ultimate trophy.
Welcome to the NHL’s newest Hockeytown, USA! Jersey’s Team is taking on a strong Los Angeles Kings unit which won the Western Conference for only the second time. Despite having Wayne Gretzky for eight years, this franchise is still waiting for their first Cup in their 35-year history. Ilya Kovalchuk turned down two offers from Los Angeles to sign his 15-year contract with the New Jersey Devils and is now enjoying his decision. The prospect of New Jersey’s great contingent winning a Stanley Cup this season realizes the possibility of Ilya Kovalchuk and Martin Brodeur winning one together as their long Devils careers overlap for a short time.
Newark, New Jersey can win a major sports championship in less than two weeks time. Whenever this happens, the change from the Meadowlands to Newark will become the obvious single greatest event in the New Jersey Devils’ history. As we witness hockey history escalate in the first-class downtown arena, we are also seeing this brilliant hockey club form a strong and fitting partnership with not just the largest, but the most diverse, history-rich, relevant, resourceful, proud, and tremendous city in New Jersey. Celebrating each others’ success together will be as inevitable as the event taking place tonight at 165 Mulberry Street.
