In the 2011 off-season, Lemaire once again retired and was replaced by former Florida Panthers head coach Peter DeBoer. DeBoer's new system helped develop a strong offense, which had seven 40-point scorers by the season's end and broke an NHL record for the best regular season penalty kill since before the expansion era. Four players – Kovalchuk, Elias, Clarkson and newly named captain Zach Parise – scored 30 or more goals, with Kovalchuk and Elias also finishing the season among the NHL's top ten-point scorers. Rookie forward Adam Henrique totaled 51 points and earned a Calder Trophy nomination for rookie of the year. As the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference, the Devils defeated Southeast champions Florida before overcoming both divisional rivals, the Flyers and Rangers, to win the Conference and return to the finals after nine years. Facing the Los Angeles Kings in the Finals, the Devils lost the first three games, but won the next two while facing elimination. In Game 6, the Kings defeated the Devils and captured the series.
in the 2011 off-season lemaire once again retired and was replaced by former florida panthers head coach peter deboer deboer's new system helped develop a strong offense which had seven 40-point scorers by the season's end and broke an nhl record for the best regular season penalty kill since before the expansion era four players – kovalchuk elias clarkson and newly named captain zach parise – scored 30 or more goals with kovalchuk and elias also finishing the season among the nhl's top ten-point scorers rookie forward adam henrique totaled 51 points and earned a calder trophy nomination for rookie of the year as the sixth seed in the eastern conference the devils defeated southeast champions florida before overcoming both divisional rivals the flyers and rangers to win the conference and return to the finals after nine years facing the los angeles kings in the finals the devils lost the first three games but won the next two while facing elimination in game 6 the kings defeated the devils and captured the series