Eighteen years after the Raiders made kicker Sebastian Janikowski a surprise first-round draft pick Devon Kennard Jersey , his career in Oakland has come to an end.

The team told Janikowski this week that he won’t be brought back when he becomes an unrestricted free agent next month.

”The Raider Nation salutes Sebastian Janikowski as the sun sets on his illustrious career with the Oakland Raiders,” owner Mark Davis said in a statement Thursday. ”He joined the team as a surprise first-round pick in the 2000 Draft and finishes his time in Oakland as one of the greatest or perhaps the greatest kicker in pro football history. His powerful left leg produced an NFL-record 55 field goals of 50-or-more yards. The motto `Once a Raider, Always a Raider’ has never been more true as his 18-year career makes him the longest-tenured player in Raiders history.”

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Davis’ father, Al, made the stunning decision in 2000 to take Janikowski with the 17th overall pick. The only other kicker taken in the first round since the start of the common draft era in 1967 was Steve Little, who went 15th to the Cardinals in 1978.

Janikowski’s successful career made him the Raiders all-time leader in games played (268) and points scored (1,799). His 55 field goals from at least 50 yards are the most in NFL history. The only other player from the 2000 draft still on his original team is Tom Brady, who was picked 199th by New England.

Janikowski Frank Ragnow Jersey , who turns 40 on March 2, missed all of last season with a back injury. His agent, Paul Healy, said in an email that Janikowski is too young to retire.

Janikowski said last spring that he hoped to still be with the Raiders when the team moved to Las Vegas in 2020. But that didn’t happen after the back injury sidelined him before the start of last season and Giorgio Tavecchio took over as kicker.

There was some thought that new coach Jon Gruden might give Janikowski another chance since he was Oakland’s coach when Janikowski was drafted and for his first two seasons. Janikowski is one of five players who were on NFL rosters last season who have played at least one game for Gruden, joining punter Shane Lechler, kicker Matt Bryant, cornerback Aqib Talib and Raiders left tackle Donald Penn.

Janikowski’s departure leaves long snapper Jon Condo as the only player on the Raiders with the team before Al Davis died in October 2011. Condo is eligible to be an unrestricted free agent next month and his long-term status with the franchise is unknown.

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The New Jersey Devils have held a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference every day since winning their season opener on Oct. 7.

Yet with only five games remaining on their schedule, the Devils are clinging to the eighth and final playoff berth in the East Josh Lambo Jersey , trying to stave off a late-season push by the surging Florida Panthers.

On Saturday night at the Prudential Center, the Devils (40-28-9) look to take another step closer to their first playoff appearance in six years when they host the New York Islanders (32-36-10).

The Devils are 6-2-1 in their last nine games, coming off a 4-3 overtime loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday, a defeat that snapped a three-game winning streak that solidified New Jersey’s hold on the second wild card in the East.

“The last stretch of games, we’ve been playing some good hockey and finding ways to string wins together,” said Devils winger Kyle Palmieri, who has four goals in his last three games. “We have to reset quickly after (the loss to Pittsburgh) and get ready for a big weekend and see where this weekend takes us.”

After hosting the Islanders in the finale of a four-game homestand on Saturday, New Jersey travels to Montreal to skate against the Canadiens on Sunday Jamize Olawale Jersey , setting the stage for the final week of the regular season.

“It’s exciting, every night the buildings are electric, the games seem to all go down to the wire with exciting atmospheres,” said Devils forward Blake Coleman. “These are fun games to play in, and we’re fortunate to be in the position to play meaningful games.”

Keith Kinkaid has been the backbone of New Jersey’s final kick at the end of the regular season. He has started eight of the last nine games in goal, stepping up in the wake of injury and poor play of No. 1 netminder Cory Schneider to post a career-high 22 wins this season.

Kinkaid made 30 or more saves in each of his last eight starts since March 10.

“Keith has had our back down the stretch,” said New Jersey’s leading scorer Taylor Hall.

The Devils are 2-0-1 against New York this season, with Kinkaid starting both of the team’s wins in the season series.

The Islanders are stumbling down the stretch Andrew Norwell Jersey , just 3-11-4 in their last 18 games following Friday’s 5-4 home-ice loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs. One bright spot in the most recent defeat was that team captain John Tavares scored a power-play goal to reach 80 points for the third time in his career.

“You’d like the production to lead to some good results for the team,” Tavares told reporters Friday.

New York was without two of its key forwards against the Maple Leafs. Casey Cizikas and Josh Bailey both sat out with upper-body injuries. Cizikas is ruled out for Saturday’s contest while Bailey is a game-time decision.

In addition, the status of veteran goaltender Jaroslav Halak is unknown for the game in New Jersey. Halak was scratched due to an illness Friday and rookie Christopher Gibson started, while Thomas Greiss backed him up after being activated off injured reserve.

The Islanders are playing out the string after being eliminated from playoff contention earlier in the week for the second season in a row.

“We are looking to play well and finish strong,” said Islanders coach Doug Weight. “We are all professionals here.”

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