The New Jersey Devils revived the franchise’s “Ring of Honor” last Saturday when Sergei Brylin was inducted prior to the game against the Dallas Stars. Brylin is the second, and only, addition since John J. McMullen was the inaugural recipient back in 2017. McMullen was the Devils’ first owner who brought the team to New Jersey. The sold out crowd saw “Sarge” get his long-awaited tribute, although the ugly loss afterwards did nothing to honor his legacy.

The point of the “Ring of Honor” is pretty simple. It’s meant to honor those who contributed to the Devils organization, but not to the level that they deserve to have their jersey retired. Criteria also isn’t limited to former players, as McMullen’s induction indicates. The “Ring of Honor” also allows the marketing department to plan events that sell tickets and help the team’s bottom line. Here’s a few people we think should at least be considered to be the third addition to the “Ring of Honor.”

Lou Lamoriello

General Managers often aren’t credited in the form of banners in the rafters. Very rarely has one general manager had such an effect on a franchise than Lamoriello and the Devils. It was under Lamoriello that the team went from perennial NHL loser, a “Mickey Mouse organization” as Wayne Gretzky infamously put it, to a three-time Stanley Cup champion. If McMullen was inducted then there is no reason Lamoriello shouldn’t be.

Some may say he overstayed his welcome in New Jersey, as evident by the last year-plus of rebuilding. Add that to the fact he’s currently employed by a division rival might delay his induction for the time being.

Scott Gomez

We really don’t know if there’s been a more polarizing player in franchise history. Gomez won the Calder Trophy, and still holds the team rookie scoring record, and won two cups with the team. Then, he broke Devils fans hearts signing in free agency with the New York Rangers. Fortunately for Devils fans, Gomez never panned out across the Hudson River, and eventually found his way back to New Jersey during the 2014-15 season. The team finished with a losing record and nothing really going for it that year, but hey the Gomez redemption arch was fun to watch.

Gomez has the resume to be honored by the team. Unfortunately, that contract with the Rangers is a tough hill to overcome in the eyes of fans. We can talk all he want about how he didn’t win a cup there, or that he was traded away to the Montreal Canadiens, or that he eventually came back. Teams usually don’t honor players who leave in their prime, unless you’re the Orlando Magic retiring Shaq’s number but that’s a different story for a different time.

Andy Greene and Travis Zajac

We’re going to pair these two here because they have a lot in common. Both spent a majority of their career on the Devils. Both were a part of the 2012 Stanley Cup final run. Both were traded away in the twilight of their careers to reunite with Lou Lamoriello with the New York Islanders. That was also the only non-Devils stop during their professional careers. Both also currently work for the team in an alumni capacity.

However, despite this, it appears unlikely either would qualify for the honor. Nothing against them, but there’s a few more deserving candidates who have waited longer. It took Sarge almost three decades of being in the organization (as a coach and player) and three cups to get honored by the team. Greene and Zajac don’t even have a single cup, which is more of a testament to the prolonged post 2012 rebuild the team went through instead of their personal accomplishments.

Jacques Lemaire

Lemaire was the first, and so far only, Devils head coach to receive the Jack Adams award. Lemaire led the team to their first ever Stanley Cup in 1995. That was also the only Stanley Cup he would coach New Jersey to. It will always be a huge accomplish that Lemaire was the first coach to get New Jersey, “over the hump,” but if he had multiple cup rings with the Devils as bench boss it would no doubt help his resume here.

Chico Resch

Chico Resch might be the most beloved person in franchise history. His time on the ice was when the Devils were the new kid on the block and not racking up many wins, but he was an original Devil when the team moved. Almost as soon as his playing days were over he became a broadcaster for the team. In 2014, he retired as team’s television color commentator only to return to the radio booth a few seasons later. Don’t forget his starring role in the recently revived fan favorite “Chico Eats.”

Have we mentioned that he’s also one of the genuinely nicest people you could ever meet? If I had a dollar for every time we saw Chico turn down a fan request for a photo or autograph, we would have $0. Chico is kind of, sort of, the “unofficial team mascot”. The team did hold a, “Chico Resch Night” honoring him during the 2014-2015 season. Still, Chico deserves a permanent presence at the Prudential Center.