Two roads diverged, and the one John Madden took made all the difference.

It was a basic decision, whether to have immediate surgery on the right knee he sprained in a dirty knee clip by Philly’s Keith Primeau on May 16.

Madden heeded the Devil medical staff’s advice to avoid surgery, and the question remains open whether the Devils would have won the Stanley Cup if he had undergone the knife.

The question also remains open whether he would have hit the summertime jackpot on a rare Lou Lamoriello goof. In a similar situation, Krzysztof Oliwa underwent knee surgery and was promptly traded by the Devils, two scant days after they won the Stanley Cup.

It is quite likely that if Madden had been moved under similar circumstances that the acquiring team would have given his contract a good look and noticed what Lamoriello overlooked, that personal option pick-up notification was required.

The 25-year-old center who was one of the Devils’ Stanley Cup sparkplugs and fellow sophomore Brian Rafalski were beneficiaries of a technicality error by Lamoriello that would have made each an unrestricted free agent this summer. Rafalski signed a contract extension worth $11 million over four years, and Madden remained in New Jersey for $7 million over four years, both following this season.

While his contract situation was developing, with Lamoriello failing to mail personal option pickup notifications to each player, Madden went about the business of rehabilitating his knee. While he would not discuss the severity of his sprain, it is believed to have been significant.

Madden had seen the controversy that surrounded Oliwa’s decision to have his ravaged knee surgically repaired early in the playoffs, a decision that ended Oliwa’s season and, eventually, his days with the Devils.

Oliwa had a completely torn anterior cruciate ligament and partially torn medial collateral ligament in his left knee. After Oliwa followed the Devil medical staff’s advice to rehab his knee and try to skate with a brace, Oliwa sought a second opinion which strongly urged prompt surgery.

Madden didn’t seek a second opinion.

“Surgery wasn’t recommended at the time,” Madden said. “I didn’t want to have surgery. And if I can play with a knee brace, there’s no problem.

“I saw what Ollie was like after surgery. One leg was fully developed, the other didn’t have any muscle on it. I don’t know if he’s skating yet.”

Madden missed only three games of the Flyer series, limping around the ice effectively more on guts than anything, and giving the Devils crucial faceoff and defensive help. His second-chance shorthanded winner in Game 4 of the finals put the Devils in the driver’s seat for the Cup. He says his knee has not been a problem in camp.

“Ten years from now, I could be hurting. But by then, my career’s over,” Madden said. “I’m not criticizing Ollie’s decision at all, but I’m glad I didn’t have surgery.”

While Oliwa is still working himself back for Columbus, with a knee that should be nearly good-as-new, Madden has been picking up where he left off in June, a player who may have won Rookie of the Year if playoffs were counted.

“I came to camp in shape to make the team,” Madden said, underestimating his situation. “The only feeling I’ve had is that I expect more of myself, and not because of the contract.”

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Turner Stevenson was to spend last night and tonight in the hospital to facilitate healing of his elbow cut, suffered Sunday in Detroit, which wasn’t mending as hoped … Devils split camp, and backup goalie hopeful Frederic Henry joined J.C. Damphousse as the Albany netminders, although Henry may be back for another look. Both camps each have two goalies … Devils make their home exhibition debut Saturday night against the Flyers, and visit the Rangers Monday.