After years of flirting with New Jersey, NHL hockey came to the Garden State on October 5th as the Devils took the ice at the Brendan Byrne Arena in the Meadowlands playing the Pittsburgh Penguins to a 3-3 tie. Three nights later the Devils got their first win and bragging rights by beating the New York Rangers 3-2 in the Meadowlands.

The Rangers had tried to block a team from moving to New Jersey, creating an instant rivalry. The Devils would play respectable hockey in their first seven games losing just one game.

However, from there it would go downhill as the Devils went on an 18-game winless streak on the way to finishing in fifth place in the Patrick Division with a 17-49-14 record.