Editing New Jersey Devils (section)

===Kansas City and Colorado===
{{main|Kansas City Scouts|Colorado Rockies (NHL)}}
In 1972, the NHL announced plans to add two [[expansion team]]s, including one in [[Kansas City, Missouri]], owned by a group headed by Edwin G. Thompson. The new team was officially named the Scouts in reference to [[Cyrus E. Dallin]]'s [[The Scout (Kansas City, Missouri statue)|statue of the same name]] which stands in that city's [[Penn Valley Park]].<ref>Laroche, chapter "Kansas City Scouts", p. 1.</ref> In the team's inaugural season, [[1974–75 NHL season|1974–75]], the Scouts were forced to wait until the ninth game to play in Kansas City's [[Hy-Vee Arena|Kemper Arena]], and did not post a win until beating the [[Washington Capitals]], their expansion brethren, in their tenth contest.<ref name="Laroche2">Laroche, chapter "Kansas City Scouts", p. 2.</ref> With 41 points in their inaugural season, the Scouts finished last in the [[Smythe Division]]; only the Capitals had fewer points in the NHL.<ref>{{cite web|title=1974–75 National Hockey League Standings|publisher=The Internet Hockey Database|url=http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/leagues/seasons/nhl19271975.html|access-date=January 14, 2015}}</ref> Kansas City fell to 36 points [[1975–76 NHL season|the following season]], and had a 27-game win-less streak, three short of the NHL record, which was set when the 1980–81 Winnipeg Jets went 30 games without a win.<ref>{{cite web|last=Weiner|first=Evan|title=Capitals, Scouts received rare shot at April hockey|publisher=National Hockey League|date=April 18, 2008|url=http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=371286|access-date=January 14, 2015}}</ref> The Scouts had difficulty drawing fans to home games, and [[National Hockey League Players' Association]] (NHLPA) leader [[Alan Eagleson]] publicly expressed concerns about whether Scouts players would be paid.<ref name="Laroche2"/>

After two seasons in Kansas City, the franchise moved to [[Denver]] and was renamed the [[Colorado Rockies (NHL)|Colorado Rockies]]<ref>{{cite news|last=Rutherford|first=Jeremy P.|title=Kansas City clings to NHL dreams as Blues visit|work=St. Louis Post-Dispatch|date=September 27, 2014|url=http://www.stltoday.com/sports/hockey/professional/kansas-city-clings-to-nhl-dreams-as-blues-visit/article_f9153628-8ca4-5d80-8492-457355bc60ed.html|access-date=January 15, 2015}}</ref> it played at the [[McNichols Sports Arena]]. The team won its first game as the Rockies, 4–2, against the [[Toronto Maple Leafs]].<ref>Maguire, p. 141.</ref> The Rockies were in position to qualify for the playoffs 60 games into the [[1976–77 NHL season|1976–77 season]], but a streak of 18 games without a win caused them to fall from contention.<ref>{{cite news|last=Hafner|first=Dan|title=Kings Outlast Rockies, Take Over Second Place|work=Los Angeles Times|date=April 1, 1977|page=E1}}</ref> The Rockies ended the campaign last in the division with a 20–46–14 record and 54 points,<ref>{{cite web|title=1976–77 National Hockey League Standings|publisher=The Internet Hockey Database|url=http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/leagues/seasons/nhl19271977.html|access-date=January 15, 2015}}</ref> and improved to 59 points the [[1977–78 NHL season|next season]]. Despite having the sixth-worst record in the League, the Rockies beat-out the [[Vancouver Canucks]] for second in the Division by two points and gained a playoff berth.<ref>{{cite web|title=1977–78 National Hockey League Standinds|publisher=The Internet Hockey Database|url=http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/leagues/seasons/nhl19271978.html|access-date=January 15, 2015}}</ref> The [[Philadelphia Flyers]] eliminated the Rockies from the playoffs in the preliminary round.<ref>{{cite news|title=Philadelphia 3, Colorado 1|work=The Globe and Mail|date=April 14, 1978|page=29}}</ref>

A lack of stability continually plagued the team. In their first eight years, the Scouts/Rockies went through ten coaches, none lasting two full seasons.

The franchise never won more than 22 games and did not return to the playoffs after 1977–78 in its six seasons in Colorado.<ref>{{cite web|last=Frei|first=Terry|title=It may not be glorious, but it's tradition nonetheless|publisher=ESPN|date=February 2, 2001|url=http://static.espn.go.com/nhl/allstar2001/s/terry_frei.html|access-date=January 16, 2015}}</ref> Prior to the [[1978–79 NHL season|1978–79 season]], the team was sold to New Jersey trucking tycoon [[Arthur Imperatore, Sr.|Arthur Imperatore]], who intended to move the team to his home state.<ref>{{cite news|title=The Newswire: Colorado Rockies Will Go to Jersey If NHL Approves|work=Los Angeles Times|date=June 30, 1978|page=E4}}</ref> The plan was criticized due to the existence of three other NHL teams in the region. In any event, their intended home in the Meadowlands was still under construction, and there was no nearby facility suitable even for temporary use; the franchise ultimately stayed in Denver.<ref>{{cite news|title=NHL ratifies Rockies sale by Vickers|work=The Globe and Mail|date=August 10, 1978|page=43}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Goldaper|first=Sam|title=Shift of Rockies to Jersey Faces Snags|work=The New York Times|date=July 1, 1978|page=13}}</ref> In 1979, the team hired [[Don Cherry (ice hockey)|Don Cherry]] as head coach and featured forward [[Lanny McDonald]]. The Rockies still posted the worst record in the NHL, and Cherry was subsequently fired after the season.<ref>{{cite news|title=Don Cherry fired over Colorado's finish|work=The Globe and Mail|date=May 21, 1980|page=37}}</ref> After two more years in Denver, the Rockies were sold to a group headed by [[Jersey City, New Jersey|Jersey City]] native [[John McMullen (engineer)|John McMullen]] (who also owned [[Major League Baseball]]'s [[Houston Astros]]) on May 27, 1982, and the franchise moved to New Jersey. As part of the relocation deal, the Devils had to compensate the three existing teams in the region – the [[New York Islanders]], [[New York Rangers]] and Flyers – for encroaching on their territory.<ref>{{cite news|last=Blumenstock|first=Kathy|title=Rockies' Sale, Move Approved|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=May 28, 1982|page=D1}}</ref>