Lemaire returns as coach of Devils
Lemaire returns as coach of Devils
After 6 years without a Stanley Cup, the New Jersey Devils are handing over the team to the coach who led them to their first NHL title.
Jacques Lemaire, who coached the Devils for five seasons in the mid 1990s and led them to the Cup in 1995, is New Jersey's coach again. He was hired yesterday, some 5 weeks after Brent Sutter resigned and eventually took over as coach of the Calgary Flames.
"I never thought I would be back," the 63-year-old Lemaire said in a conference call. "I said at that time when I was leaving after 5 years, and it was 5 great years, I wanted to cherish this for the rest of my life and the rest of my career, but I never thought one day I would come back."
The deal reunites Lemaire with general manager and president Lou Lamoriello and goaltender Martin Brodeur, the combination that turned that Devils from a contender to a champion in 1995.
"Jacques Lemaire is one of the most respected coaches in the game," Lamoriello said. "He is a teacher and a communicator, and knows what it takes to have success."
The Devils also won Stanley Cups in 2000 and 2003, but they have not come close in recent years. They were eliminated in the opening round of the playoffs the past two seasons under Sutter.
This season's ouster was stunning as New Jersey gave up two late goals in Game 7 of their series against Carolina.
"You look at the team last year, they were solid defensively, and offensively," Lemaire said of the team that won a franchise-record 51 games. "That's the goal I want to have . . . and to do as well as we can in the playoffs."
Contract terms were not disclosed but Lemaire said he intends to coach at least two seasons.
Lemaire recently resigned as coach of the Minnesota Wild. He took over the expansion franchise in 2000 and led them to the playoffs three times.
Lemaire has won 11 Stanley Cups as a player, coach and executive. He has a career coaching record of 538-415-176 in 14 seasons with Montreal, New Jersey and Minnesota.
Lamoriello also announced that Mario Tremblay, who spent the past nine seasons as an assistant coach in Minnesota with Lemaire, will join the Devils' coaching staff.
Noteworthy
* Jerry Reinsdorf and his partners won't be subjected to questioning by attorneys for team owner Jerry Moyes as they work to put together a bid to buy the Phoenix Coyotes in U.S. Bankruptcy Court.
Judge Redfield T. Baum rejected a request by Moyes to have Reinsdorf and several others in the potential ownership group give depositions before the July 24 deadline for submitting their bid.
However, the NHL reached an agreement with Moyes' attorneys to have commissioner Gary Bettman and deputy commissioner Bill Daly give depositions July 22 and 23 in New York.
The NHL wants to keep the team in Arizona and contends the Coyotes could be successful with better management and more success on the ice.
The Coyotes have lost more than $30 million each of the last three seasons and are being funded by the NHL until a new owner is determined.
* Restricted free agent forward Boyd Gordon has signed a 1-year, $761,000 contract to remain with the Washington Capitals. *
