Brian Rafalski

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Lore & Background

Rafalski was signed by the New Jersey Devils as a free agent on May 7, 1999, at age 25. Immediately, he was partnered on defense with Devils captain Scott Stevens, and the two remained mainstays for five years until Stevens' retirement in 2004. In his rookie season, Rafalski finished with 32 points, led all rookie defensemen in plus-minus with a +21 rating, and helped the Devils win the 2000 Stanley Cup Final against the Dallas Stars in six games. Along with Calder Memorial Trophy-winning teammate Scott Gomez, he was named to the NHL All-Rookie Team. The next season, Rafalski scored 52 points, and his 18 points during the 2001 playoffs set a team record for defensemen. The Devils made the Stanley Cup Final again but lost to the Colorado Avalanche in game seven. In 2001–02, he registered 47 points and was selected to the NHL All-Star Game but sat out due to injury. The following season, he led all Devils defensemen in scoring with 40 points and was a vital part of the defense that won the Stanley Cup in Game Seven of the 2003 Stanley Cup Final against the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim.

In Their Own Story

In the 2001 playoffs, Rafalski set a team record for defensemen with 18 points, helping the Devils reach the Stanley Cup Final for the second straight year. The Devils led the series against the Colorado Avalanche and had two chances to defend their title after a game five win in Denver, but lost in game seven. During the 2003 Stanley Cup Final, Rafalski was a vital part of a Devils defense that won the Cup in Game Seven against the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. After leaving the Devils, Rafalski signed a five-year, $30 million contract with the Detroit Red Wings on July 1, 2007. He set a career high in goals (13) in 73 games during the 2007–08 season. On June 4, 2008, he helped lead the Red Wings to win the Stanley Cup in six games over the Pittsburgh Penguins, scoring the first Red Wings goal on the power play in game six. On January 1, 2009, Rafalski scored the game-winning goal for the Red Wings in the 2009 Winter Classic, the first NHL game played outdoors in Red Wings history, a 6–4 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. The Red Wings made the Stanley Cup Final again in 2009 but lost to the Penguins in game seven. Rafalski announced his retirement from the NHL on May 25, 2011, citing knee and back injuries.

Reader's Guide

Brian Rafalski played four years at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, scoring 45 points in 43 games in his senior year. He was named to the WCHA First All-Star Team, the NCAA West All-Star Team, and won the WCHA Defenseman of the Year. With no immediate NHL prospects, he moved to Europe, playing for Brynäs IF in Sweden (nine points in 22 games), then HPK in Finland (35 points), and finally HIFK, where he won the Pekka Rautakallio trophy as best Liiga Defenseman in 1997 and 1999, the Finnish SM-liiga championship in 1998, and the Kultainen kypärä in 1999, becoming the first non-Finnish player to win that award. After entering the NHL with the Devils in 1999, Rafalski played in the Stanley Cup playoffs every season of his 11-year NHL career, leading all NHL players in playoff games played during the 2000s with 142. On January 3, 2014, the Florida Everblades of the ECHL signed Rafalski, but he was released 18 days later due to back issues. He was inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame in 2014.

Did You Know?

• Rafalski was named by Sporting News in 1999 as the best hockey player in the world not playing in the NHL.
• He became the first non-Finnish player to win the Kultainen kypärä award as the top SM-liiga player in 1999.
• Rafalski led all NHL players in playoff games played during the 2000s decade, with 142.
• He scored the game-winning goal for the Red Wings in the 2009 Winter Classic, the first NHL game played outdoors in Red Wings history.
• Rafalski was named the best defenseman of the 2010 Winter Olympics hockey tournament.