That Year the Rockies Moved to New Jersey
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- Опубліковано 7 лют 2025
- Here is a new addition to my truly awful seasons playlist.
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I went to the Devils game in Arizona back in January and met Devils fans from Utah and Wyoming who followed the Rockies when they moved to NJ. Pretty cool! Always thankful to Dr. McMullen for bringing the franchise here.
Dr. McMullen was a wonderful man.
Also, ha. I love Shannon's take on the Rangers maybe wanting to play at the Meadowlands.
Fantastic video as always, sir.
Agree with you 💯 percent. Devils fan from beginning but now following afar in North Carolina go devils👍‼️
If the Devils lost game 5 against the Flyers in the 1995 Conference finals they might have gotten moved again. That 1995 Cup made a huge difference.
I don't remember that. Where were they going to move to ?
Jason Voorhees i think nashville was where they wanted to move the devils to
@@fishrocker95 You're right. The talk was a move to Nashville. There was a big article about it in the Star-Ledger during the playoffs about the possibility.
@@fishrocker95 why do I remember the talk of them moving to Tampa/St. Petersburg?
Studa Baker that wouldn’t have made sense in 1995 because the lightning were already there by that point. maybe there was talk in the late 80s and early 90s about them going to florida but i can’t find any articles that cover a possible move to tampa at that time or any time
My FIRST NHL Game was the Hartford Whalers vs. Colorado Rockies! I have a colorado puck!
If the Rangers moved to the Meadowlands, I have a feeling they will still be called New York like the Giants and Jets.
North Jersey is just basically greater NY
That’s why I have no respect for the Jets or Giants, tbh.
Back in the 80s and early 90s there were always rumors of the NY Yankees moving to New Jersey, it was always out there.
That's why the city of NY granted MSG tax free status
I love these types of videos, even when they don't involve my team. Keep them coming! I love everything about the history of the NHL
The theme song of the 81-82 Colorado Rockies: Get Out Of Denver by Bob Seager
Some of us (me) are old enough to remember before they were the Rockies.... when they were the Kansas City Scouts.
Love the Scouts Jersey, to be honest.
I envy you. Even though I was born in '72 I wish I could have seen some Scouts games on TV. There's hardly any footage of them anywhere, and even less for the Cleveland Barons.
Have you thought about doing a video of when Ralston Purina tried to sell the St. Louis Blues to a group in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan in 1983?
Glenn "Chico" Resch was a very good goaltender and I remember seeing he and the rest of the Devils playing an early 80s game at the old Pittsburgh Civic Area back in the day. I remember watching the Devils' warm-up by the boards and Chico Resch just picked those pucks out of the air and you could barely see them being shot at him from the blue line. It was very cool to see the game from that perspective!
Lifelong baseball fan, 6 years ago I became a hockey fan and I never even knew there was a Rockies hockey team. I thought you were talking about the baseball team at first.
I love that logo though
Lollol.
As a huge (and relatively young) Devils fan this video was very interesting and helps provide a lot of insight to the history of my team I didn't know much about. That bit about the Rangers wanting to move to the Meadow lands was pretty funny. Never in a million years could I picture the "New Jersey Rangers". As always a great video and I greatly appreciate the variety and high quality of your content. Keep it up!
Having been alive for this event and living in NJ at the time, the Rangers never considered moving to NJ. Brendan Byrne Arena (original name) was built for 2 reasons: as a new home for the Nets (who played on Long Island and in the RAC on the Rutgers University campus) and to lure an existing NHL team. The Rangers & Islanders never intended to leave NY. The Rangers initially protested the move because they shared the territorial rights to NJ with the Islanders and Flyers. The Rangers were simply looking to get compensated for a team moving into their territory and never entertained the idea of moving out of NYC. They used to the lure of moving to NJ as a ploy to get MSG renovated, which eventually happened soon after.
Exactly right Nik S.
I remember growing up in Denver when word came out that a move to New Jersey was looking likely, the fans started selling out McNichols in those last few games but the die was already cast. Then I lived in Pittsburgh before similar rumors about the Pens were coming up and fans started hitting the Igloo (despite the high ticket prices) in a similar fear of losing their team. Mario put the group together to buy the team and save it. Better ending there.
It is my understanding that New Jersey ditched the admittedly poor history of the team's previous incarnations and treated the Devils like a fresh expansion team by deleting the teams history. Maybe I heard that wrong, or its changed since then. Either way, it was on my mind when the Avs played the Devils for the cup.
Maybe the moral of this story is if I live in a town with an NHL team, bad things might happen?....hehe
OMG you mentioned GARY HART - he is here / they made a film about him - Bill Burr Plays a newsman - the film is called The Front Runner - please review it
Excellent video, Shannon. One my all-time favorites. The Scouts, Rockies and first five seasons of the Devils are legendary in terms of failure. Their first 14 seasons (1974-87) produced a record of 253-638-149. It produced one playoff appearance in 1978, a 2 games to 0 loss to the Flyers. Rocky Hockey coined the phrase, "Come to the fights, and watch a Rockies game break out!" Denver deserved a better team and got one in 1995 at the unfortunate expense of Quebec. How the Devils did not move or fold was pretty impressive and then became one the best teams of the past quarter century. I think it would be cool to see KC or OKC get a team in the heartland.
Okc would be cool to play alongside the Thunder
i moved to Denver when i was 10 in 1982 from Oklahoma City and was so excited to be able to see NHL hockey..........my 10 year old heart was ripped out. :(
You ever get to go to a game before the end of that season or was it after the season was over you officially moved there?
loved Colorado Rockies should have assumed there old name back in 95/96...
I love NHL history from that era. Seals, Barons, Scouts, Rockies, WHA, it was a wild time with a lot of stories and politics behind the scenes.
and brendan byrne which sat 19,000 would always put 19,040 as its capacity later to antagonize the Rags
There will be 2 jack Hughes in the devils history
@@freduncle9999 that will be the third Kappa Kakko
The Hockey Guy remembers Gary Hart! I’m impressed. His affair with Donna Rice ruined his political career back in the 80s
Donna Rice was smoking hot.
@@penguinsfan251 hahahaha! She sure was. My brother had a magazine with a pic of her in a swimsuit. He kept it in his bedroom if ya know what I mean!
Hey there, Hockey Guy! I just wanna tell you I really appreciate and love the effort you put into making this video about when the Colorado Rockies became the New Jersey Devils. I'm a lifelong Devils fan, so hearing about Devils history by itself puts a smile on my face. But I enjoyed hearing the backstory behind the bumps in the road that the Rockies traveled to become the Devils...funny as it was. Great job.
“The New Jersey Rangers”
I literally puked. Lmao
Jack Hughes mentioned in this video, spent most of the 79-80 hockey season with the US Olympic team, the Miracle on Ice team. Unlike Miracle, where there was one player who was cut, there were 6 players who played with the team and were cut before the Olympics.
LOL, that October 15th game you pointed out vs the Kings where they lost 10-1 is in my "recommended videos" to the right of this video... Thanks for spoiling the score, I was going to watch that game. lol
I remember how bad they were when they first moved to NJ. Gretzky called them a Mickey Mouse organization. The franchise(including the Scouts and Rockies) didn't have a winning season until their 14th year when they nearly went to the Finals.
That comment made me laugh since years later there would be an ACTUAL Mickey Mouse organization who would lose the 2003 Finals to the Devils
Many a great game in McNichols arena watching the Rockies. Barry Beck and Crazy George. Not always great hockey, but still fun. Sad when they moved and left Colorado NHLless until the Avs. Thanks Hockey Guy for the memories
Yeti thanks you for paying attention to Mountain Time Zone Hockey Teams GO AVS
My aunt had season tickets to the Rockies and I used to go all the time as a toddler. Joel Quenneville and Lanny McDonald were my favorite players!
Here's another video title for you: "That Year St. Louis Didn't Send Anyone to The Draft"...
Mork & Mindy was set in Boulder, Colorado (30 miles from Denver), hence the reference.
Zarley Zalapski is still the greatest name ever.
How about Barry Salavarra?
Yes ZZ is on my favorite hockey name list.
Don't forget Gaston Gingras of the Les Canadiens.
@@scottbottomley6376 Miro Satan
I dunno, Bates Battaglia is pretty awesome
Have a Doug Favell Rockies jersey, one of my favorites.
They actually had some good players, snuck into the playoffs once but yeah, mostly bad hockey but great uniforms!
Good video. For those who like hockey history of bad teams, there is a movie called Only the Dead Know the Brooklyn Americans which goes into some of the history of the NY Americans and has some interviews around the team.
Great video. I love historical stuff about different franchises. Been devils fan from beginning. First game was Christmas gift from brother devs vs kings I think in Jan 83. Devils actually won 5 to 3. Thank you 🇨🇦 For hockey👍‼️
Really fascinating. I’ve always been murky about this history and you helped clarify a lot. Thanks Shannon!
Didn’t know it at the time but I moved to Colorado from Long Island. Miss my relatives and the Islanders.
Love these ones... I got into hockey fairly late in life (late 20’s) so really enjoy the hockey history videos.
Since they are in the Finals, please do a video on the St. Louis Blues almost becoming the Saskatoon Blues in 1983. Thanks
Jim I think he already did that
Jim ua-cam.com/video/p1iszmyuKD0/v-deo.html
@@azcactus2008 ok thanks
look up "That Time the Blues Almost Moved to Saskatoon" 2 years ago
Another awesome video on NHL history.
Really laughed at some of the trades- like doing real estate deals with your dog. Must have been a doddle being a GM in the 1980s with muggins like the Rockies to trade with.
Great summary of the year the Rockies left. And you’re right- Chico never complained though he faced a barrage of shots on both the Rockies and early Devils teams. I was an Islander fan then started following the Devils. Don’t forget Tambellini was also a fan favorite on the Isles who weren’t too happy when he and Resch got traded to the Rockies in 80-81.
Later the blues turned Rob Ramage and Rick Wamsley into Brett Hull
You should make a video about teams that almost existed like the New Jersey Rangers, the Saskatoon Blues, the Hamilton Predators or the Vegas Penguins!
Cleveland Canadiens
New Jersey's name came down to River Rats and 😈 Devils (for the legend of the NJ Devil that lived in southern pinelands on NJ.
Or Kansas City Penguins
or the weird time that Toronto and Edmonton almost agree'd to what would be the craziest trade in sports history, and almost traded franchises with each other. Toronto Oilers? Edmonton Maple Leafs? None of that sounds right.
Let’s go Devils!
Go Sens Go!
Very interesting stuff. I love these videos especially when it’s close to home!
That's why it was funny in 2001 Cup Finals,I would tell people "it's Colorado vs the old Colorado Rockies!" They'd often say,"what does the baseball team, have to do with the NJ Devils?"-lol Mcnichols wasn't great for hockey,but it's funny-the Avs ended up playing there for 4 years,& hosted 3 WCFs,& a Cup Finals there.
I have lived in Colorado for 20 years now, but a long time Leafs fan since '73. I remember that trade that sent shock waves to Leafs fans. That was Lanny McDonald and Joel Quenville for Wilf Paiement and Pat Hickey.
Just another Ballard brilliancy. He had previously let both Paul Henderson and Dave Keon jump to the WHA; but I think the trade of Lanny to Colorado was the last straw for a lot of Leafs fans. No wonder Darryl Sittler eventually tore off his Captain 'C' in disgust.
I am a Habs fan; but McDonald and Borje Salming remain not only among my all-time favourite Leafs' players; but favourite players in general.
@@FischerFan Spare some scorn for Punch Imlach -- he was given a more-or-less free hand by Ballard, and was determined to show the Leafs stars who was in charge. Sittler frequently butted heads with Imlach, over a variety of issues (in short, Imlach's approach and methods were at least a decade out of date) -- and knowing how close Sittler and McDonald were, Imlach dealt the latter to Colorado, for little other reason than to enrage Sittler. For some reason, Imlach saw such mindlessness as a victory over an insolent captain.
The NHL was so enamoured with the Meadowlands Arena -- not to mention a big payday from transfer and indemnity fees -- that it never stopped to consider if it would be well-served with 3 teams in the Greater New York area. That either the Islanders or Devils have had issues with attendance ever since would suggest it has not, and never has been -- although both teams have local TV deals they couldn't dream of in another market.
Do you know if the Baseball team had to acquire the rights to the Rockies name from the Devils?
Since it was a baseball team I would say no
I was born in May of 82 and didn’t know this history, thanks for sharing. ? After the Rockies moved to NJ did they keep the Rockies naming rights? Was it a naming rights issue when the Colorado Rockies Baseball team came to be?
@@flounder Too bad St. Louis didn't have all 3 franchises all named Cardinals.
Don't feel bad. I was born in the 60s and didn't know.
Since this was a baseball team I doubt they had to get rights from a hockey team, and the Rockies name hasn't been used since they left town
Great video and great reminder of our hockey history! Have a great day!
Mikko Makela had a 36 goal season for the isles. Later traded for Ken Baumgartner.
Not sure if youve done the Nordiques, from WHA to the big move to Denver.
1974-75 Capitals had the worst record ever. 8-67-5
I remember as a kid growing up in the early 80’s if you wanted to insult a hockey fan, you called them a NJ Devils fan.
Their greatest move ever was getting Lammirello from Providence. The man literally built that franchise from the net out.
These are my favorite videos to watch. Happy to see a video on the Rockies. Learn about the dysfunctional history of the past New Jersey Devils fans.
thanks for this video , being born in 87 i hardly knew anything about where the devils came from. With a history like that its amazing they didnt just close the doors and fade away.
Same I was born in 87 as well and all I remember is, "Winning"
@@tidusdream12 well im a boston fan so as a kid all I remember is losing. Bruins didnt even win the cup till the day my son was born.
Hockey guy can you make a video for the blues? The STL blues subreddit had you at the top of their page today praising you even though you are a boston fan and just decided not to wear anymore blues gear.
The Houston Astros were considering moving to New Jersey Meadowlands in the 80's also.
The Rockies (NJ Devils) met the Avs in the 2001 finals.
Gilbert made it known immediately that he wanted to move the team. My father immediately dumped our season tickets (as did several others) as we will not support a team that is leaving. Lanny McDonald trade for MacMillian's nephew was the final nail in the coffin.
12:06 i know this is an old video but i'm bored. anyway funny thing is that Jack Hughes was actually cut from the 1980 US team. Idk i just find that interesting.
Barry Beck?
Very informative. Love your videos!
Thank God for Doc McMullen. I can't imagine having to live in NJ and root for the Rags or Isles.
Edit: HOLY SH*T I GOT A HEART FROM THG! I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY!
having to live in NJ is punishment enough
SPENCER HEISLER Most people in NJ DO root for the Rangers. Just saying.
@@smithryansmith 😡
In January 8th 1982 the Colorado Rockies played the St. Louis Blues and Bobby MacMillan scored a 4 goal game for the Rockies and beat the St. Louis Blues 7-1 at McNichols Sports Arena in Denver.
John MacLean, the dude from *DIE HARD,* was originally a NHL player... in New Jersey? WTH? This sheds significant light on why he was such a badass.
Not only that, he was the devil's all time leading scorer for years until Elias passed him.
@@jeffwhite5007 That's what's up. I remember being a little kid, and thinking the new team with the name *Devils* was cool, scary, and somewhat heavy-metal. Except, I guess the team is named after an equally cool historic folk-lore-based ghost-type-thing that's local to that area.
NJ new hockey team was to be called River Rats but Jersey natives talked about an old legend that a Devil lived in Jersey pinelands. New Jersey 😈 Devils
Well, their AHL farm team in the 90's were called the Albany River Rats. They actually won the Calder Cup the same season as the Devils won their first Stanley Cup.
I remember when I was 5 it was some time in July when I ask my mom when we could get Rocky Hockey Tickets. She said that we could get Rocky Hockey tickets when the leaves turn brown and fall on the ground. Well the hockey gods heard my question, then next day we had a huge hail storm come through Denver. It knocked all the leaves on the ground. Guess who was pestering my mom about Rocky Hockey tickets for the next week.
“Youngsters who left their greatest glories behind in junior hockey...”. Lol! That’s harsh!
Today's Google search, brought to you by The Hockey Guy:
"wayne gretzky new jersey devils mickey mouse"
two Jack Hughes? and one of them has the Pyramid Eye Logo?
Illuminati Confirmed brah.
Didn’t the devils need to pay the rangers, flyers and islanders to relocate?
Also, side note, I grew up in jersey and never heard the meadowlands pronounced that way....
Patrick Booth yes they had to pay all of them. I believe Philly got a bit less.
When I do team history videos this summer, that info will be included.
Yes; all three teams received ten million dollars apiece for territorial infringement.
The Winnipeg Jets were also compensated. They received five million dollars; to replace the Rockies as the fifth team in the Smythe Division and for the increased travel expenses for games in Vancouver and Los Angeles.
And so it began. The kids who grew up in New Jersey watching the Rangers lose for a generation was given a team to get behind. And hockey in the Garden State grew exponentially ... and the Devils won 3 Stanley Cups. LGD
What is a good site for cool hats?
To say the Jersey devils eventually pulled it together is a bit of an understatement.
I’m so happy and thankful the avs vanquished the devils in that game 7 of the 01’ Cup. A game that really had no business being played. good thing we just so happen to have the most epic, legendary athlete in the history of American professional sports.
The fact Patrick Roy was a geriatric senior citizen by this point was irrelevant . All that mattered was the fact it was the postseason. The time of year where God takes a break from his throne in heaven to manifest as Patrick Roy. Which is the only reason we won game six in Jersey
Sound far fetched? How else do you explain Roy’s unreal annual postseasons?
Jack Hughes was also the last man cut from the USA miracle on ice team.
I just noticed a curiosity there's a player, Don Lever. Who played for Atlanta Flames and played for the same organisation as it became Calgary Flames. He got traded from Calgary Flames to Colorado Rockies and played three more seasons in New Jersey Devils. Do anyone know if there's any other players who has done anything similar?
I just noticed there's another player who did the same thing, Robert MacMillan, though he only played two seasons for New Jersy Devils
Don Lever and Bob MacMillan went to Colorado for Lanny McDonald. There's a video of the Rockies' game against the Islanders in February, 1982; in which the Islanders had the opportunity to break the NHL record for consecutive wins. Don Lever has a strong game for the Rockies; but unfortunately, he had to leave the game late in the third period when he was clipped by a teammate's stick.
You should do a video on old hockey arenas that didn't work, like Mcnichols...and the Saddledome where the flames play
Always wanted to know how Lou Lemonjello's team came to be.
They were actually The Kansas City Scouts 1974-75 before becoming the Rockies. Very cool colors for a hockey team!
pls talk about karlsson going to habs or sens
Rangers were never, ever, ever thinking of playing over in NJ. That was strictly a move to guarantee that the Devils would have to pay huge fees to the Rangers and Flyers for them having to share the market with them.
Younger fans would probably not be able to relate to how weird it felt when the Devils made the Conference Finals in 1988.
That was a fantastic playoff run. Devils beat the Islanders who still had dynast players like Bryan Trottier and Denny Potvin. Then there was the famous “ Have another donut” incident involving coach Jim Schonfeld and Referee Don Koharski. That was fun run for the Devs. They began to get to be a good team after that season.
Since they are in the Finals and you have added a lot of subs from there. Do a Blues salary cap/where they are at video please
smhmlg I believe he usually do those once the teams season ends.
Keep making these hockey history videos
That Jack Hughes also got cut from the 1980 team I believe
Those sweaters are so dope.
That management didn't know what the heck they were doing. A pretty funny time...trading the #1 pick would never happen today.
Given all the managerial incompetence that cost them top draft picks, I can understand why they were pissed when they finally realized they needed to hang onto one, did so in a year with an obvious generational talent waiting at number one, with their team still being the kind of abject mess that should get that pick...but then had to try to undercut a team that was trading the kitchen sink and any utensils in it for empty bags of Cheetos, as well as deliberately adjusting in-game to make it more likely they'd lose, because that player was THEIR only shot to see tomorrow.
Good thing Lou Lamoriello took the GM job later on, though.
The Rangers moving not as far fetched as you would think. In the mid 70s, the Giants moved out of NY to the Meadowlands (which then inspires Brendan Byrne Arena) NY football Jets followed for 1980. So the precedent had been set. Rangers wound up killing Devils TV rights for several years, costing the franchise a ton of money, and exposure when they first came to market. In some ways, they have never recovered. Like your videos - and franchise move stuff. Further to the times, the Nets, who were the first and primary tennant, would move to the Byrne Arena. The Knicks were going to move to Long Island and move into the Nassau County Coliseum, where at one time the Nets had played. NYC was just coming out of bankruptcy a few years earlier. (Look up the phrase Ford to NYC - Drop Dead).
Jets moved to Giants stadium in NJ in 1984. I think Devils organization has done e well since 1982. They eventually carved out a loyal fan base in Jersey and moved into The Rock in Newark NJ. The Devils have developed their own identity and have established a rivalry with Rangers, Islanders, and The Flyers who play less than 2 hours away in Philadelphia.
Poor Chico. Thankfully he did get to be on one of the Isles Cup teams before getting traded.
Good video! Well done!
I was born in 82‘ too! lol
I got that Rockies jersey as well as the hat!!!
Colorado should help Nordiques come back some time in the future
How would they do that?
If you're thinking relocation, forget about it. If the Nordiques ever get a relocation franchise, the Avs for sure will not be a candidate. A deal is in the works to keep the team in Denver until at least 2040, and the Front Range Urban Corridor is far more profitable a market than QC. Plus Detroit would not accept a new eastern team pushing them back in the west.
As for any chance of the Nordiques coming back at all, they'll have to wait until at least 2028 before that can become a remote possibility, as that's when the Florida Panthers lease is up.
Hey Shannon, my older account was either hit by a ban or just doesn't work anymore. Anyways it was subbed since around 20-30k.
Cool story. Do you have time to tell it again?
@@dannyg3480 Hey Shannon, my older account was either hit by a ban or just doesn't work anymore. Anyways it was subbed since around 20-30k.
@@GDLamb42 Cool story. Do you have time to tell it again?
@@harrisonotton6715 Hey Shannon, my older account was either hit by a ban or just doesn't work anymore. Anyways it was subbed since around 20-30k.
COLORADO ROCKIES
HOCKEY HALL OF FAME
INDUCTEES
01. 1992: Lanny McDonald
Will you do a time the Atlanta Flames moved to Calgary? And had the Rockies stayed in Colorado, they would have been a dominant force in the league instead of the Avalanche.
It's strange that same guy Gillet who owned the Rockies also later purchased the Canadiens and made them a winner.
And will be moving out of New Jersey soon hopefully.
They have about 20 years left on their lease agreement at the Prudential Center and the City of Newark. Leases can be broken, but this would be highly unlikely.
There is no way the Devils are leaving New Jersey anytime soon.
Devils have developed a solid fan base over 40 years now in New Jersey. They don’t get the media attention as The Rangers or even the Islanders but there are a lot if Devils fans in Northern and Central New Jersey.
If the Rockies had never moved how much more success would the Jets would have had not having to play in the same division as Calgary and Edmonton?
The Jets belonged in the Central (Norris) Division with Minnesota, Chicago, and St. Louis. The departure of the Rockies from the Smythe Division was a death sentence for the Jets. The only playoff series they could win were first-round meetings with the Flames.
@@FischerFan including a best of 5
@@Nickleblanc41 Yeah, the series where Jamie McCoun clothes-lined Dale Hawerchuk with an apparently, 'clean cross-check to the rib cage!'.
@@FischerFan I didn't know about that. That series happened 8 years before i was born lol