Patrik Elias will have his number retired by the New Jersey Devils tonight. Here’s everything you need to know, and more.
Tonight Patrik Elias’ number 26 will be sent to the rafters joining New Jersey Devils’ legends Scott Stevens, Ken Daneyko, Scott Niedermayer, and Martin Brodeur. The ceremony is scheduled to last for an hour, in what is expected to be an emotional night at the rock.
Elias wrote this article for The Players Tribune that gives some thoughtful insight into the life of an NHL player. Elias had an awesome career and he talks about the best times of his career.
“A lot of people, when they look up at No. 26 in the rafters, they will probably think about the two Cups. But for me, my pride comes from what happened right afterward.”
Elias said that the Stanley Cup’s were amazing parts of his career, but when you look deep they are just the cover of his story. He goes into detail about dealing with hepatitis. He got it playing in Russia during the NHL lockout, and it nearly killed him.
He also talked about how he basically signed with the rival Rangers, but he wanted to stay with the Devils.
Is Elias a Hall-of-Famer?
Elias’ career was illustrious, but was it Hall of Fame worthy?
In short, yes.
In longer form, there are many reasons why Elias should be a hall of Famer. First things first, the numbers speak for themselves. Elias had 1025 points in 1240 NHL games. That is good enough for 79th on the all-time list. Elias was one of the cornerstones of two Stanley Cup teams. In 162 playoff games, he had 45 goals and 80 assists for 125 points. Without Elias, the Devils absolutely do not win those championships.
Elias Top Goals
It’s going to be an emotional night at the rock, and Elias deserves it for everything he has done in a Devils uniform.
