In NHL.com's Q&A feature called "Sitting Down with …" we talk to key figures in the game, gaining insight into their lives on and off the ice. Today, we feature New Jersey Devils former player and current assistant coach Sergei Brylin, who will be inducted into the Devils Ring of Honor on Saturday at Prudential Center.
NEWARK, N.J. -- Sergei Brylin remains steadfast and committed to winning as an assistant coach just as he did as a teenager on the development path to ultimately playing a big role in helping the New Jersey Devils to three Stanley Cup championships.
When it comes to heart and soul players and someone who understands what it takes to make a difference, 'Sarge' always fit the bill.
"You talk about a glue guy, that's what Sergei Brylin was," said former Devils teammate and current Boston University coach Jay Pandolfo. "He was kind of a jack of all trades. He could play on any line, kill penalties, play power play, he did everything. He played all these different roles throughout his career as a Devil, but he just was a very respectful person and player with great character."
It's why 20 years after helping bring New Jersey its third Stanley Cup in 2003, Brylin will be celebrated by the Devils as the club's second Ring of Honor inductee during a pregame ceremony before they host the Dallas Stars at Prudential Center on Saturday.
"It means a lot to me," Brylin said. "It's an honor to be recognized for such a long career ... 30 years with the same organization. And the fact that I'm going to be the first player, (assistant) coach, up there means a lot. I'm just very blessed and honored to be selected."
Brylin will be honored in the presence of his mother, Margarita Glubokovskaya, sister, Olga, his wife, Elena, and children, Anna, Maria and Fyodor. The on-ice ceremony will feature a video tribute showcasing highlights of his career and appearances by Devils guests.
Brylin joins Dr. John J. McMullen, the Devils' first owner who brought the team to New Jersey from Colorado. McMullen was the club's inaugural inductee on Jan. 6, 2017.
Brylin made his NHL debut on Feb. 17, 1995, and spent his entire 13-season NHL career (1994-2008) with the Devils. He had 308 points (129 goals, 179 assists) and played 765 regular-season games, which ranks 10th in Devils/Colorado Rockies/Kansas City Scouts history. He's one of five players to win three championships (1995, 2000, 2003) with New Jersey, joining Martin Brodeur, Ken Daneyko, Scott Niedermayer and Scott Stevens.
"The guys that grew up in the organization know him very well," New Jersey coach Lindy Ruff said. "He really understands what it takes to become a Stanley Cup champion. He's done it three times so his input is invaluable. The game changes a little bit over time but the compete and what you have to do to win a championship doesn't."
NHL.com recently caught up with Brylin to discuss his early years, NHL career and excitement for outdoor hockey.
Who had the biggest influence on you in the early stages of your hockey career?
"My mom and dad. My father (Vladimir Brylin) never played in a professional, top-level league, but he played and loved hockey. He's the one who was obviously my first coach, my biggest supporter and biggest critic, too. My mom did everything she could to support me, taking me to practices, then waiting for me and bringing me back home (in Moscow). The closest rink was 45 minutes away, so we had to take a bus and then a subway to get there ... it wasn't easy. My mom used to skip work or leave early. We didn't have enough ice for everybody, so we practiced at 7 a.m. or 9 p.m. on any given day so my parents were committed to doing that. A couple of years ago, I asked my mom if she and dad ever had big expectations or anything like that and she said, 'No.' I wouldn't be here without them, for sure. They did everything they could to give me a chance to be a professional hockey player."
Did you know the Devils would select you in the second round (No. 42) of the 1992 NHL Draft?
"No. Back then in Russia, there were scouts and most of the guys were Russian-speaking, living in Moscow. I met a few different NHL clubs before the draft. I remember doing fitness tests a day or two before the draft. It was optional at the time, but I came over with a group of Russian players my age. Our agent, Mark Gandler, brought 20 of us over to do fitness tests with different teams. I don't know if it played a role or not, but I got lucky to be picked by such a great team, a great organization. I can't remember but there may have been eight or 10 teams that had an interest in me. I attended the draft that year in Montreal and heard my name called. I'm just very happy it happened the way it did and that I'm still here. It's unbelievable."
What do you remember about Lou Lamoriello, who served as Devils general manager from 1987 to 2015?
"I think he knew how to get the most out of players and people. I think he was fair ... he was fair to everybody. And he was fair to me, and I really appreciated everything that he did for me and my family. We had some pretty good runs, so there's a lot of good memories."
Who had the biggest influence on you in the Devils locker room?
"Well, we always had Russian players on the team, so we used to spend a lot of time together. Valeri Zelepukin, and later on Sergei Nemchinov, and Alexander Mogilny. We always had a good group. I was close to Nemchinov when he was there (1998-2002) and we spent time together. We were roommates on the road and still are pretty good friends and talk to each other. He's actually working for our organization now (as Devils European scout). So that's nice to see. I always looked up to him. He's a great example of a true professional, playing all kinds of situations. He was able to win two Stanley Cups with two different organizations (New York Rangers, 1994; Devils, 2000)."
You won three championships in New Jersey with three different coaches: Jacques Lemaire (1995), Larry Robinson (2000) and Pat Burns (2003). What was the strength of each coach?
"Jacques was very detailed and structured. He had a vision how we needed to play and what I remember is it was a lot of details we talked about on the ice in certain situations. ... Larry was also very structured, but we had a little more freedom. That (2000) team was probably the best team that I ever played on. We had so many good players up front who were able to make plays and create chances and be very good defensively. ... Pat was all about effort and compete and finding ways to win. Also, not beating yourself, not doing anything stupid out there like taking bad penalties. ... All three coaches had probably the same kind of foundation but were also able to bring something different in our game."
You are one of five Devils players to win three Stanley Cup titles with the organization. Is that significant to you?
"Well, to win one is significant. I was fortunate enough to be on three different teams that won the Cup. The first one, I was young. I didn't really understand what actually happened, because I'm in my first year in the League (1995) and won right away. It kind of gives you the wrong ideas and the wrong views on life and maybe kind of set me back a little bit. But it's great that we were able to win. It was probably one of the biggest surprises of my life ... in my sports life for sure because nobody I think thought we'd be able to do what we did in '95. And especially the way the Stanley Cup Final went (in a four-game sweep against the Detroit Red Wings). I mean, it just brings great memories and stories that I'll be able to tell my grandkids one day. It's something that you're always going to remember."
What do you do for leisure outside of coaching?
"I enjoy just spending time at home with my family. My kids are getting older. My oldest daughter (Anna) graduated college and is 23 years old. She played tennis in college so when she was growing up, I spent a lot of time traveling with her to tournaments, practices and all that stuff. My son (Fyodor) played a little bit of hockey in college (University of Rhode Island) so I used to try to help teach him, train him. He got injured and doesn't play anymore. My youngest (Elena) is kind of looking for what she wants to do right now. She's 13. I just like spending family time. We'll go into New York City once in a while to a restaurant."
What are your thoughts on the current state of the Devils?
"I think we've been playing better the last couple of weeks, finding ways to win tight games and playing the right way. We're getting contributions from different guys ... you see (center) Mike McLeod and a lot of different examples. Our goalies have been good. It's tough though, obviously, without a lot of your top players in the lineup due to injury, but what can you do? The other teams are dealing with the same things, so we just have to man up and get together as a group, put in a solid 60-minute performance every night."
How excited are you for the 2024 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series game between the Devils and Philadelphia Flyers at MetLife Stadium on Feb. 17 (8 p.m. ET; ABC, ESPN+, SN360)?
"I never experienced outdoor hockey at any level so it'll be the first one for me. It doesn't happen every day so it's going to be great. It's something different, something new. I played a little outdoor hockey as a kid in Russia. When I played my last four years in the Kontinental Hockey League (2008-12), we played in the Spengler Cup (in 2010-11 with St. Petersburg) and they were changing the ice so we had to practice outside and it was great. It was a sunny day and just very memorable."
Have you set any future goals for yourself?
"I don't think I have a goal in mind of what I want to ultimately do. I just want to learn as much as possible, get better every day and see what happens in the future."
