New Jersey
New Jersey Prospect Update: Where are they Now? Goaltender Edition
It is often said that goaltenders are voodoo, so what is a goaltending prospect to do when he is stuck behind the voodoo king? Let’s take a trip down memory lane and look at some goaltenders of the Devils past prospect pools and what happened to them.
Ari Ahonen
The Short: Former first rounder, who never played in the NHL, but got free bench tickets a few times to watch Marty up close
The Long: Ari Ahonen leads this list as a former first round (27th) overall pick by the New Jersey Devils in 1999. If you were like me at the time, you may have questioned why the Devils chose a goaltender in the first round in 1999 when Martin Brodeur was still well in his prime starting 70+ games a season. I don’t really have an answer for that other than the next player drafted after Ahonen who played at least 400 games in the NHL was Mike Commodore, also selected by the Devils, in the 2nd round at 42. So, it wasn’t a very deep draft in the late first/early 2nd rounds.
Arohnen played five years for the Albany River Rats, never really putting up stellar numbers, but received at least five call-ups to the New Jersey Devils as an emergency back-up according to this New York Post article by Mark Everson in 2004. The article quotes Ahonen:
“The more time you spend here, the more you want to play,”
Ahonen would get at least one more call-up the following year, but never get into a NHL game. His career would divert to the Liiga, where Ahonen would earn the distinction of being the first goaltender in league history to play for all three teams in the Helsinki area per Wikipedia. Ahonen’s best years would be for KalPa and his best season, 2011-2012, where he put up a 2.13 GAA and .916 SV% during a 23-15-11 run.
Jeff Frazee
The Short: Slightly better than Ahonen, Frazee earned multiple call-ups before finally getting 19 minutes of flawless NHL game action in 2012-2013,
The Long: Drafted by the Devils in the 2nd round (38th overall) of the 2005 NHL entry draft, Frazee had a fruitful AHL career for Lowell and Albany spanning 2007-2013. His GAA was fairly consistently in the 2.60 range with a high of 2.90 one year and his save percentage never dipped below .902 with a high of .920. In other words, Frazee seems to have been a legitimate victim of Brodeur’s dominance in the New Jersey net.
After four plus seasons toiling in the AHL, Frazee would finally get his chance on March 9, 2013 in Carolina. With Brodeur out of the lineup with a pinched nerve, Johan Hedberg had been holding down the fort, but this was not his night. Hedberg got lit up for five goals through two periods, opening the door for Frazee to play some mercy minutes. Frazee stopped all three shots he faced in a flawless third, allowing the Devils to comeback and tighten the knot to 5-3 before an empty net goal by Carolina sealed the team’s fate for the 6-3 loss. For history, Frazee’s only game worn NHL jersey has been preserved by the goaltender museum, Heroes of the Crease and you can view it online here.
After the high of that game, Frazee would never play in the NHL again. He backpacked around Europe at various goaltending gigs for a few seasons, ending his career in Slovenia in 2016-17.
Evan Cormier
The Short: He’s still trying to live the dream.
The Long: Drafted by the Devils in the 4th round in 2005 (105th overall), it is hard to believe that Evan Cormier is still only 26-years-old. Cormier did receive a call-up by the Devils straight from the ECHL in 2019 to backup Mackenzie Blackwood after Louis Dominque went down with an injury, a move that confused the Bergen Record enough to write this article explaining it. Cormier would not see any game action with the Devils that game or any game. Cormier would move on from the Devils franchise to the Manitoba Moose in 2021-22
Cormier backed up Sergei Bobrovsky in a 5-3 loss in March of this year when Anthony Stolartz was out with an undisclosed illness but did not play. The struggle for game action continues on for Evan Cormier.
Gilles Senn
The Short: Played 2 NHL games, even got a start.
The Long: Selected by the Devils in the fifth round of the 2017 NHL entry draft (129th overall), Senn grew up in Switzerland playing for HC Davos. In 2019, Senn detoured to Binghampton, where he would play one full season and another part season during the COVID shutdown. Senn earned his NHL debut on December 20, 2019, relieving Mackenzie Blackwood, and promptly giving up one goal on two shots for the 5-2 loss to Washington. Senn started the next game, his only in the NHL, allowing three goals on 38 shots in a loss to Columbus.
After the COVID-shortened season, Senn returned to HC Davos in his native Switzerland, where he still suits up today.
Your Take
Now it is time to tell us what you think — or remember. Who were your favorite goalie prospects that never quite made an impact or got buried in the Brodeur era? Post your comments below.
PATERSON, New Jersey (WABC) — One person was killed and three others were injured in a shooting in Paterson.
The violence erupted around 6:30 p.m. Saturday near the intersection of East 29th Street and 10th Avenue.
Children nearby gasped in horror at the sound of rapid gunfire. They were just about to sing Happy Birthday to their 13-year-old friend at her backyard party, but instead of blowing out the candles, they ducked for cover when they heard gunshots in the distance.
“Just hearing it – it was scary to witness, to hear. Especially on my birthday. Like a time I’m trying to play with my friends, get together,” said the 13-year-old.
She also says she had a friend who was there who saw what happened.
“He was going to the bodega – he went running back, but he had saw two people come out of a car and then shoot, but it was like an automatic gun,” she added.
Bystanders watched in shock and panic as first responders treated the victims. One of them was lying in the street next to a car and another was on the ground next to a bicycle.
Local councilman Luis Velez says the City of Paterson has taken measures to reduce crime in this part of town – what he calls a ‘hotspot’ — in part by installing security cameras. He is encouraging the community to cooperate.
“Paterson Police is doing their job as I know, they’re doing a great job to reduce crime, but one again we, the police, nobody, not even the news media has a crystal ball to say this is going to happen now,” Velez said, “Some people see corners getting built up, they see activities and they’re afraid to come out and say something, but our police department is trained to keep it confidential and approach to bring the quality of life in this area.”
The 13-year-old hopes her next birthday party is not ruined by the sound of gunshots.
“First we thought it was fireworks, but then we heard sirens and everyone started going home because they were scared,” she added.
Copyright © 2026 WABC-TV. All Rights Reserved.
Let’s be honest, we didn’t need a national list to tell us this. New Jersey has the best restaurants, the best food, and some of the most talented chefs anywhere in America.
It’s something locals have been saying forever, and now the rest of the country is catching up. Still, it’s always nice to see that recognition on a big stage.
We Already Knew New Jersey Was the Best
USA TODAY’s 2026 Restaurants of the Year list highlights standout dining destinations across the country.
From humble roadside gems to chef-driven hotspots earning major buzz, the list celebrates places that truly stand out, and New Jersey showed up in a big way.
Three New Jersey Spots Earn National Recognition
This year, three Garden State restaurants made the prestigious list:
- The Pasta Shop – Denville
- Ram & Rooster – Metuchen
- Anjelica’s – Sea Bright
And yes, that includes a Jersey Shore favorite, because of course it does.
These restaurants represent everything people love about dining in New Jersey, quality, creativity, and flavors that keep you coming back.
A Jersey Shore Standout Shines
There’s something special about seeing a Jersey Shore restaurant included among the best in America. It’s not just about great food, it’s about the full experience, the atmosphere, and that unmistakable local charm.
Anjelica’s in Sea Bright earning a spot only reinforces what shore locals already know: some of the best meals you’ll ever have are right here, close to home.
No Surprise, Just Well-Deserved
At the end of the day, this recognition feels less like a surprise and more like confirmation. New Jersey’s food scene has always been top-tier, and lists like this just make it official.
Keep Reading: Beloved New Jersey Restaurant is Closing
So whether you’re heading to Denville, Metuchen, or down the shore, you already know, you’re in for something special.
PHOTOS: Step Inside a 1970s Kitchen — 34 Things You’ll Recognize
From Tupperware jugs (you know the ones) to those ever-present knife sharpeners, let’s take a nostalgic trip back to the quintessential ’70s kitchen.
Gallery Credit: Stephen Lenz
If You Grew Up in the ’70s and ’80s, These Foods Were Super Fancy
From Babybels to Toblerone chocolate, take a nostalgic bite out of these ‘fancy’ childhood foods that made us feel way more elegant than we really were.
Gallery Credit: Stephen Lenz
FIFA and New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill have become embroiled in a war of words this past week as the prospect of $150 train tickets to travel to World Cup games and plans to close parts of New York’s Penn Station have angered residents.
The recent uproar began after reports surfaced April 6 that parts of Penn Station would be closed to NJ Transit commuters not attending World Cup games for four hours before kickoff during the eight matches at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium.
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Moreover, round-trip train tickets between Penn Station in Manhattan and MetLife Stadium, where the final of the FIFA World Cup is set to be played, were announced by NJ Transit to come in at $150 per person.
A return ride on the same line typically costs $12.90, according to NJ Transit.
The FIFA World Cup Trophy is displayed during the Los Angeles stop of The FIFA World Cup 26 Trophy Tour by Coca-Cola at LA Live in Los Angeles on March 24, 2026.
In a press release on April 17, Sherrill said the move to increase prices was caused by FIFA’s decision to eliminate parking at MetLife Stadium. The Democratic governor said price increases happened because FIFA did not agree to cover the costs of transporting fans.
“We are committed to ensuring costs are shared fairly. As I have said repeatedly, FIFA should cover the cost of transporting its fans. If it won’t, we will not be subsidizing World Cup ticket holders on the backs of New Jerseyans who rely on NJ TRANSIT every day,” Sherrill said.
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More: Going to World Cup at MetLife Stadium? Expect $150 train tickets and no parking
FIFA, on the other hand, has said the price increase would have a “chilling effect” on fans attending games in New Jersey and said Sherrill’s demands asking FIFA to absorb transportation costs for fans were “unprecedented.”
“Elevated fares inevitably push fans toward alternative transportation options. This increases concerns of congestion, late arrivals, and creates broader ripple effects that ultimately diminish the economic benefit and lasting legacy the entire region stands to gain from hosting the World Cup,” Heimo Schirgi, COO for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, said in a statement to USA TODAY.
The NJ Transit logo is seen in the lobby of the New Jersey Transit headquarters ahead of a press briefing on the New York/New Jersey FIFA World Cup 2026 regional mobility plan in Newark, New Jersey on April 17, 2026.
What are other cities doing with World Cup transportation?
New Jersey has not been the only place where transportation costs have been the subject of discussion ahead of the World Cup. In Boston, round-trip train train tickets on the MBTA from Boston’s South Station to Gillette Stadium are being sold for $80.
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Special event trains to Foxborough for New England Patriots NFL games and New England Revolution MLS matches are usually $20 for a round trip, according to local news station CBS Boston.
Other cities have not seen increases like the ones in New Jersey and Boston. In Atlanta, for example, train fares on the city’s MARTA will be $2.50 per ride, with children able to travel for free with a paying adult.
Kansas City is offering $15 round-trip shuttle rides for fans parking in four different park-and-ride locations, as well as those coming from FIFA’s Fan Festival in the city. Los Angeles, on the other hand, is offering fans a $3.50 round trip train ticket on its Metro Train.
SEPTA in Philadelphia is also keeping its prices low, with fans set to pay the base $2.90 fare for a ride on its Broad Street Line, which takes riders to Lincoln Financial Field, set to host six matches.
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Katie Sobko from USA TODAY Network’s NorthJersey.com contributed to this report.
Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at fernando.cervantes@gannett.com and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: World Cup fans going to MetLife Stadium to pay $150 for NJT ticket
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