New Jersey Devils: the NHL's Black Sheep?

I recently attended my college orientation in Boston, and the conversation eventually turned to hockey: college and pro.

As the discussion continued, we all started talking about our favorite teams; Kings, Bruins, Rangers, Avalanche, Red Wings, Flyers, etc. 

When my turn came around everyone seem startled to hear "New Jersey" come out of my mouth.

"New Jersey? As in the Devils? How did that happen?" one kid said.

"Why? I sort of assumed that all people from New York liked the Rangers, with a few odd Islanders fans," another said.

After spending the next hour or so defending by team, I realized that a lot of hockey fans don't take the Devils seriously.

Wayne Gretzky once called them a "Mickey Mouse organization.” Granted that was in the 80s when the Devils were downright bad.  But I think the stigma has stuck, and unfairly so.

I'll be one of the first to admit, the Devils attendance is not very good.

Before passing judgment on that, consider they are in hockey's Bermuda triangle, trapped between the Flyers, Rangers, and the Islanders.  The fact that they were able to fill their new arena to almost 90 percent is pretty impressive considering where they are.

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