Listen to this article

In a move to enhance a nearly 30-year relationship, the New Jersey Devils and RWJBarnabas Health on Feb. 22 announced a multiyear extension of their partnership.

The two organizations say this collaboration features a multi-tiered activation plan that will allow RWJBarnabas and the Devils to utilize shared resources toward a mutual vision of building healthier communities.

Particulars of the deal include:

• As the club’s first-ever patch partner, all Devils’ home jerseys will feature RWJBarnabas Health‘s logo. Branding will also integrate throughout RWJBarnabas and Devils activations on and off the ice – and across the community. (The Devils play at Prudential Center in Newark.)
• The development of a comprehensive, overarching youth hockey program to engage with children across New Jersey.
• Efforts to support children from the first day they step onto the ice, all the way through their high school years and beyond. To that end, RWJBarnabas will create an educational blueprint to teach children and their families the importance of leading active, nutritious lifestyles as well as injury prevention techniques. That pairs with support from the Devils through coaching, mental health, athlete care seminars and more
• Expands current RWJBarnabas initiatives with the Devils. As such, the health system continues as presenting partner of the Devils’ annual Hockey Fights Cancer Night.
• The RWJBarnabas Health Hockey House at Prudential Center will continue to serve as a primary venue to engage with youth and support community-based health initiatives.
• The launch of “Dougie’s Buddies.” Devils defenseman Dougie Hamilton partners on a community program where, multiple times a month throughout the season, he will host a guest and their family at a Devils home game.

The expanded partnership commences Feb. 22 at Prudential Center, when the new logo debuts on the team’s jerseys as they face the rival New York Rangers.

Shared vision

“We are beyond excited to extend our long-standing partnership with the largest academic health care system in New Jersey, RWJBarnabas Health, and together unveil the first-ever jersey patch partner for the New Jersey Devils,” said Jake Reynolds, president, New Jersey Devils & Prudential Center. “Together with RWJBarnabas Health, we will continue to play an instrumental role in supporting youth hockey programs, fulfill our shared vision of building healthier communities throughout New Jersey and help support the highest level of care for our athletes.”

“The opportunity to strengthen RWJBarnabas Health’s 30-year partnership with the New Jersey Devils reinforces our shared commitment to improve community health,” said Mark Manigan, president and CEO, RWJBarnabas Health. “While this multi-faceted affiliation serves to provide world-class clinical care to professional athletes, equally important, our combined resources will continue to elevate and advance critical community-based health care programs and services across the state.”

“For 30 years, RWJBarnabas Health and the Devils have been synonymous with the State of New Jersey, long-term partners who care about their communities and giving back together,” said Martin Brodeur, Devils executive vice president of hockey operations and Hall of Fame goaltender. “I’ve seen firsthand the impact they have made, whether it’s visiting their hospitals with my teammates to cheer up patients and staff or participating in their youth hockey initiatives throughout my career. There is no better connection than to have with an organization that shares our values, and it’s great for this generation of Devils stars to showcase that on their jerseys.”