New Jersey Devils: The Legacy of Scott Gomez

After 16 seasons in the NHL, former New Jersey Devils center Scott Gomez has retired at the age of 36.

New Jersey Devils fans have had a rocky relationship with Scott Gomez. We loved him, then we hated him, then we sort of had to like him again. Let’s start with the “love” part of it.

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Selected 27th overall in the 1998 draft by the Devils, Gomez became the first Mexican-American to play in the NHL, and just the 5th Alaskan when he joined the team as a rookie for the 1999-2000 season. He instantly proved his worth, scoring 19 goals and 51 assists and winning the Calder Trophy for Rookie of the Year. Oh yeah, the Devils also won the Stanley Cup that year. Not a bad first season as a pro, in fact the best season a rookie has ever had in Devils’ team history.

Gomez went on to play 7 seasons and win another Stanley Cup with the Devils in 2002-03. He had his best season in 2005-06, scoring 33 goals and 51 assists. He would then become a free agent prize after the 2007 season. After not one, but two contract disputes with the Devils in 2002 and 2006, it did not look promising for him to return to New Jersey. We all knew he would probably leave, but his eventual destination was a dagger to the heart of Devils fans.

Now the hate…

In the summer of 2007, Gomez left the Devils to sign a 7-year, $51.5 million contract with the – oh no, don’t say it – New York Rangers. To say Gomez was dead to me, and most Devils fans, is an understatement. I was so betrayed that I actually threw my Scott Gomez jersey in the garbage after he signed with the Rangers. No joke. As you can tell, I was pretty salty. It was tough to watch him play for the Rangers because he had two productive seasons with them, putting up 128 points in 158 games. He also had 25 points in 21 playoff games with the Rags. But, Gomez just couldn’t live up to that contract.

The older you get, you realize that professional sports are a business, so I can’t fault Gomez for going out and trying to get as much money as possible. Prior negotiations with the Devils hadn’t gone well, and Gomez even said he felt it was time to move on. The Rangers gave him the highest offer, it’s as simple as that. When you get that opportunity in life, you take it. It just sucks that it had to be the Rangers.

I wasn’t too upset when he got ran out of New York in what ended up one of the most lopsided trades in history, and I didn’t feel bad for him in Montreal when he went a full calendar year without scoring a goal from February 5, 2011 to Feb. 10, 2012. I don’t feel bad for anyone who gets paid $7.35 million a year to be crappy at their job. His career really did take a pathetic turn at that point.

Feb 7, 2015; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; New Jersey Devils center Scott Gomez (21) before the game against Montreal Canadiens at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: Jean-Yves Ahern-USA TODAY Sports

I think we like you again?

I believe that time can heal all wounds. After getting bought out from his contract by the Canadiens in 2013, Gomez’s life as a journeyman in the NHL had begun. He went on to play stints with San Jose and Florida before getting a second chance from the Devils in 2014 when Lou Lamoriello was still GM. When he came back to New Jersey, I was against it. Still bitter. He hadn’t been at the top of his game in awhile, and it made me think it was a desperate move by Devils management. But, he breathed life into a really bad team. Besides Cory Schneider, he was arguably the Devils best player for the second half of that season. He looked rejuvenated, and he looked at home. Gomez was the high school sweetheart, who you had a nasty breakup with before going to college, but ended up becoming your friend later in life when you both matured.

When it comes down to it, Gomez was one of the most creative players, specifically passers that I have ever watched play. When I grew up playing hockey, if I was playing defense, I wanted to be Scott Neidermayer. When I was playing offense, I wanted to be Scott Gomez. He was an unselfish, pass-first player who somehow always found a way to thread the needle. When Brian Gionta scored 48 goals for the Devils in 2005-06, there’s no way he could have done it without Gomez dishing him the puck.

Not only that, but he played with a sly smile and always looked like he was enjoying himself on the ice. When you’re growing up playing hockey as a kid, you can’t help but notice that he genuinely had fun playing the game. After all, playing in the NHL is every hockey player’s dream, so how could he not smile?

Is Gomez done with hockey altogether?

Never a boring interview, I really think Gomez would be great on TV as an analyst. As I have mentioned before, he would be a great replacement for boring old John MacLean on MSG. I stated that before he officially retired, but maybe it’s now more realistic than I thought. He’s a former Devil who has won two Stanley Cups and played 16 seasons in the NHL, so he’s got plenty of hockey knowledge. He’s also still a younger guy, and really charismatic and honest. So, I think it would be natural for him to make a transition to television, just like Ken Daneyko did.

Speaking of Dano, if you’ve never read the story on The Players’ Tribune as told by Gomez and Daneyko, check it out here for a good laugh. When you’re done reading that, read this. As told by Gomez in his own words, it includes the ups, the downs and everything in-between. I have a lot of respect for the guy these days, he never gave up living his dream no matter what people were saying about him. He’s also always held on to what he learned from Lou Lamoriello and playing in New Jersey.