Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

Video: Sullivan scores first goal with Devils in 16 years

Steve Sullivan

BUFFALO, NY - APRIL 07: Steve Sullivan #15 of the New Jersey Devils heads to the bench to celebrate his first period goal against the Buffalo Sabres on April 7, 2013 at the First Niagara Center in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Bill Wippert/NHLI via Getty Images)

When the New Jersey Devils acquired 38-year-old forward Steve Sullivan on Wednesday, they were getting back a player they drafted in 1994.

Sullivan’s time in the Devils’ organization only lasted a few years before he was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs. On Sunday, Sullivan found the back of the net as a New Jersey Devils’ player for the first time since Feb. 15, 1997.

A lot has changed for the Devils over the last 16 years, but there’s some things that haven’t. As the Devils pointed out, Martin Brodeur was also the starting goaltender when Sullivan netted his previous goal with New Jersey.

Additionally, while Sullivan netted the goal with the man advantage, when at even strength he was playing alongside Patrik Elias. The duo spent most of the 1995-96 campaign playing together in the AHL and have since gone on to individually participate in more than 1,000 NHL games.

"[The Elias-Travis Zajac-Sullivan line] spent the whole night in the other team’s end,” Devils coach Pete DeBoer said in an NHL report. “They didn’t have anything to show for it 5-on-5, but it wasn’t for lack of effort.”

Ultimately, Sullivan’s efforts weren’t enough as the Devils dropped their seventh game in a row.

Related:

Reunited on same line, Sullivan, Elias come full circle