The
New Jersey Devils 2005-06 Season saw the Devils during the
National Hockey League 's first season back from the
2004-05 NHL Lockout . Many of the Devils' players had played in other leagues while the National Hockey League was inactive due to the lockout. Most notably was
Patrik Elias who missed the first 39 games of the season due to catching
Hepatitis A while playing for the
Metallurg Magnitogorsk of the
Russian Super League .
1 There were some changed the Devils had to make because of the rule changes for the 2005-06 season.
Martin Brodeur , one of the best puck-handling goalies, could no longer use this to his advantage as much as he used to since there were now restrictions on where goalies could have the puck in their possession. The recent retirement of hard-hitting defenseman and long-time Captain
Scott Stevens meant the Devils game wouldn't be as physically punishing for opposing teams. Another big change was the departure of another defenseman
Scott Niedermayer , who had been on the Devils' Stanley Cup-winning teams in 1995, 2000, and 2003 and been with the Devils his whole career to that point, to go play with his brother
Rob on the
Mighty Ducks Of Anaheim . The two played against each other for the Stanley Cup a couple years easlier during the 2003 Stanley Cup playoff finals.
''Note: GP = Games Played; W = Wins; L = Losses; OTL = Overtime/Shootout Losses; PTS = Points; GF = Goals For; GA = Goals Against''
New Jersey's picks at the
2005 NHL Entry Draft at
The Westin Ottawa in
Ottawa ,
Canada .
