Long time Devils GM, President, coach and puck boy Lou Lamoriello in a shock move has been hired by the Toronto Maple Leafs after resigning his Devils job. Even more interesting is that the hire was made by Male Leafs President Brendan Shanahan, Lamoriello's first draft pick as Devils GM.
TSN has much more on this shocking move.
Showing posts with label Lou Lamoriello. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lou Lamoriello. Show all posts
Thursday, July 23, 2015
Tuesday, June 2, 2015
El Diablos have a new head coach
At noon today the New Jersey Devils will name former AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton coach John Hynes as head man at the Prudential Center. New Devils GM Ray Shero, who came from Pittsburgh was well acquainted with their top affiliate's head coach and picked him to coach the Devils.
Imagine that, the Devils with a real NHL coaching staff behind the bench and not some "It'd be funny if the results weren't so sad" triumvirate like last year with GM Lou Lamoriello, Adam Oates and Scott Stevens. We hope the new management can rescue the Devils not just so they can be competitive and try and get back in the playoffs and one day win another Stanley Cup for their fans. The real issue is winning now and filling the coffers as no matter how badly Devils fans think it can't happen, they ARE candidates to move if they continue this downward spiral. Don't think so? Where did the Devils come from and why?
There's your answer...
Imagine that, the Devils with a real NHL coaching staff behind the bench and not some "It'd be funny if the results weren't so sad" triumvirate like last year with GM Lou Lamoriello, Adam Oates and Scott Stevens. We hope the new management can rescue the Devils not just so they can be competitive and try and get back in the playoffs and one day win another Stanley Cup for their fans. The real issue is winning now and filling the coffers as no matter how badly Devils fans think it can't happen, they ARE candidates to move if they continue this downward spiral. Don't think so? Where did the Devils come from and why?
There's your answer...
Monday, May 4, 2015
The Devils have made a very good choice as GM
Earlier today Devils President, sometimes GM, sometimes head coach, most times organizational gadfly Lou Lamoriello has hired former Penguins GM Ray Shero to the same post in Newark. Shero is a smart GM who managed to keep the Penguins competitive over the last decade winning one Stanley Cup in 2009. Sure, winning the draft lottery for Sidney Crosby in 2005 can make any GM's life easier but Shero also surrounded Crosby with smart draft picks and good value free agent signings. Johnny wishes him well and the stakes on this are high indeed. There are viable cites with viable NHL arenas waiting for franchises to fail. The Devils attendance has them on that precipice even during good regular seasons. Shero needs to work some magic here, and quickly.
Friday, July 12, 2013
Oh you bet we're going to talk about the New Jersey Devils today
Devils owner Jeff Vanderbeek and GM Lou Lamoriello has a sad today. They both believed in Ilya Kovalchuk enough to trade away talent, draft picks (including a #1) to the Atlanta Thrashers now the Winnipeg Jets Redux. They were penalized by the NHL a #1 draft pick for a ham handed attempt to circumvent the salary cap. They inked Kovie to a 15 year $100 million dollar contract of which he was three years into. Yesterday he "retired" from the Devils and the NHL, only be reported to sign a deal Monday to play for SKA St. Petersburg in Russia's KHL.
The great Harry Neale, former NHL head coach and brilliant CBC Hockey Night in Canada analyst, said it best when he said sometimes the best trades are the ones you don't make. Boy is he right.
But Johnny, how did it come to this? Why would Kovalchuk retire from the NHL, leave the Devils devoid of offense and sign to play in Russia? Let us count the ways.
Kovalchuk's mother was asked by Yahoo if he had enjoyed his time playing in the KHL during the lockout last year:
Did he like SKA during the lockout?
“Of course. Otherwise this question about leaving the NHL wouldn’t even be raised. And so it happened… Besides, there were some problems in New Jersey. You know there will likely be a change of ownership there. It’s unclear how everything will turn out.”
Wow, he only liked it because he got to try it. Yes the tax free thing is nice but again he wasn't hurting for money here.
So, what caused the lockout? Let's ask Gary Betteman and better yet Jeff Vanderbeek. Vanderbeek argued for the lockout and that's when Kovalchuck fell in love with the KHL. In love so much when told by Lamoriello to report to the 'hurry up there's a season training camps', Kovalchuk decided to stay behind in Russia and play in the KHL all-star game. Ruh ro.
Ya know that 100 million dollars you reached deep and found for Kovie, Mr. Vanderbeek? If you'd have spent that better and paid Zach Parise a portion of that in renegotiations he'd still be a Devil. You knew Parise would never bolt in the middle of a contract. HE was a leader. While we're speculating if you'd have taken another portion of the $100 million you'd still probably have David Clarkson.
So now the Devils have nothing. No offense. A huge risk in Ryane Clowe after his concussion issues. Maybe one more year from Marty Brodeur. Ownership is in let's call it, flux. Money is needed. Ticket sales will suffer because of the product on the ice. The new playoff format is even more foreboding and unforgiving. Kovalchuck saw this too and did what Ilya Kovalchuk has done everywhere he's played, soiled his wittle baby diaper and left.
The great Harry Neale, former NHL head coach and brilliant CBC Hockey Night in Canada analyst, said it best when he said sometimes the best trades are the ones you don't make. Boy is he right.
But Johnny, how did it come to this? Why would Kovalchuk retire from the NHL, leave the Devils devoid of offense and sign to play in Russia? Let us count the ways.
Kovalchuk's mother was asked by Yahoo if he had enjoyed his time playing in the KHL during the lockout last year:
Did he like SKA during the lockout?
“Of course. Otherwise this question about leaving the NHL wouldn’t even be raised. And so it happened… Besides, there were some problems in New Jersey. You know there will likely be a change of ownership there. It’s unclear how everything will turn out.”
Wow, he only liked it because he got to try it. Yes the tax free thing is nice but again he wasn't hurting for money here.
So, what caused the lockout? Let's ask Gary Betteman and better yet Jeff Vanderbeek. Vanderbeek argued for the lockout and that's when Kovalchuck fell in love with the KHL. In love so much when told by Lamoriello to report to the 'hurry up there's a season training camps', Kovalchuk decided to stay behind in Russia and play in the KHL all-star game. Ruh ro.
Ya know that 100 million dollars you reached deep and found for Kovie, Mr. Vanderbeek? If you'd have spent that better and paid Zach Parise a portion of that in renegotiations he'd still be a Devil. You knew Parise would never bolt in the middle of a contract. HE was a leader. While we're speculating if you'd have taken another portion of the $100 million you'd still probably have David Clarkson.
So now the Devils have nothing. No offense. A huge risk in Ryane Clowe after his concussion issues. Maybe one more year from Marty Brodeur. Ownership is in let's call it, flux. Money is needed. Ticket sales will suffer because of the product on the ice. The new playoff format is even more foreboding and unforgiving. Kovalchuck saw this too and did what Ilya Kovalchuk has done everywhere he's played, soiled his wittle baby diaper and left.
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Devils sack John MacLean as head coach; Jacques Lemaire to return as interim bench boss
After a cool 9-22-2 start, including losses in the last two games to Atlanta and Washington, beatings the Devils took like redheaded step-children, John MacLean was let go as Devils coach this morning. The Jersey City Desk learned exclusively early today (but then quickly shared with the world cause that's how our sports desk rolls) that Jacques Lemaire will bring his exciting brand of trap hockey back to Newark as interim head coach. GM Lou Lamoriello made the call to let MacLean go.
Look, it wasn't John MacLean who signed Ilya Kovalchoke to a $100 million dollar contract because he had a big man-crush on him. No, that was GM Lou Lamoriello. So great of a decision it was that when Illy was a healthy scratch in games very early in the season the Devils had to play roster positions short. Johnny watched the Pittsburgh game at the Rock on a Monday afternoon horrified that the Devils had open roster spots. It's one thing to see a depleted bench if a couple guys get in a brawl or a couple get hurt but utter salary cap mismanagement to the point you're not playing with a full roster ain't the coach's fault. Yes we know Zajac got hurt but boo hoo, we're willing to bet Detroit survives with Pavel Datsyuk out for a month with a broken hand (It would have been better if he'd broken it on Corey Perry's ugly Duck face). This miserable season was over by mid November. That was not MacLean's fault. There seems to be a real schism somewhere deep inside the Devils dressing room. Something isn't right and it's pulling in opposite directions to the point the Devils look lost on the ice most nights. Maybe it's time for Marty Brodeur to kick some garbage cans over and make an impression on some of the loafers.
It's time Lou, it's time to open Crazy Lou's GM Swap-n-Save and collect a whole bunch of new talent and draft picks in trade for, as they say in the book biz, your remainders. Nobody wants to be here, you're behind the New York ISLANDERS in the standings and your fans deserve guys willing to lie in front of shots if that's how they need to win.
It's always darkest before the dawn, and Devils fans, it could be worse. The Rock could start sounding like this after Devils goals and then people would throw rocks and garbage at you.
Look, it wasn't John MacLean who signed Ilya Kovalchoke to a $100 million dollar contract because he had a big man-crush on him. No, that was GM Lou Lamoriello. So great of a decision it was that when Illy was a healthy scratch in games very early in the season the Devils had to play roster positions short. Johnny watched the Pittsburgh game at the Rock on a Monday afternoon horrified that the Devils had open roster spots. It's one thing to see a depleted bench if a couple guys get in a brawl or a couple get hurt but utter salary cap mismanagement to the point you're not playing with a full roster ain't the coach's fault. Yes we know Zajac got hurt but boo hoo, we're willing to bet Detroit survives with Pavel Datsyuk out for a month with a broken hand (It would have been better if he'd broken it on Corey Perry's ugly Duck face). This miserable season was over by mid November. That was not MacLean's fault. There seems to be a real schism somewhere deep inside the Devils dressing room. Something isn't right and it's pulling in opposite directions to the point the Devils look lost on the ice most nights. Maybe it's time for Marty Brodeur to kick some garbage cans over and make an impression on some of the loafers.
It's time Lou, it's time to open Crazy Lou's GM Swap-n-Save and collect a whole bunch of new talent and draft picks in trade for, as they say in the book biz, your remainders. Nobody wants to be here, you're behind the New York ISLANDERS in the standings and your fans deserve guys willing to lie in front of shots if that's how they need to win.
It's always darkest before the dawn, and Devils fans, it could be worse. The Rock could start sounding like this after Devils goals and then people would throw rocks and garbage at you.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
NHL calls shenannigans on Devils contract with Kovalchuk, voids deal
The NHL slapped Devils GM Lou Lamoriello's 17 year $102 million dollar contract with Russian winger Ilya Kovalchuk last night saying it was a blatant attempt to circumvent the NHL's salary cap system. According to the Associated Press the reason for the negated deal was this:
The contract was rejected because years of low salary at the end of the contract were added for the sole purpose of lowering the cap hit. The person added that no side believes Kovalchuk will play the final years of the deal at those terms. The star forward was slated to earn only $550,000 in each of the last five seasons of the contract that was to run through the 2026-27 season, when Kovalchuk would be 44.
Now teams like the Detroit Red Wings have offered contracts of a similar nature to stars Henrik Zetterberg and Johan Franzen, huge money over at least ten years but the difference in those contracts is that they would expire as those two players are in their late 30's and not mid 40's. Unless your name is Chris Chelios and you can play until your 50's this deal really does smell of circumventing the cap. Anybody wanna guess how long it takes to get reworked?
The contract was rejected because years of low salary at the end of the contract were added for the sole purpose of lowering the cap hit. The person added that no side believes Kovalchuk will play the final years of the deal at those terms. The star forward was slated to earn only $550,000 in each of the last five seasons of the contract that was to run through the 2026-27 season, when Kovalchuk would be 44.
Now teams like the Detroit Red Wings have offered contracts of a similar nature to stars Henrik Zetterberg and Johan Franzen, huge money over at least ten years but the difference in those contracts is that they would expire as those two players are in their late 30's and not mid 40's. Unless your name is Chris Chelios and you can play until your 50's this deal really does smell of circumventing the cap. Anybody wanna guess how long it takes to get reworked?
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Johnny got him some Devils playoff tickets for the first round, if they don't wake up he won't need to worry about getting second round seats
Boy howdy, the Devils are playing some lackluster hockey just two weeks before the tournament for Lord Stanley's Cup begins. Head coach Brent Sutter is not normally a drama queen but he sure was last night at the end of the second period walking across the ice towards the Devils dressing room berating any and all officials left on the ice. It cost him a 2 minute bench penalty, and to be fair it didn't factor in the outcome, but also failed in it's attempt to fire up the Devils.
What is REALLY the most troubling is all world netminder Martin Brodeur has looked, well, crappy these last few games. Not seeing pucks well, giving up terrible rebounds and in general just not looking comfortable in net. Since the Devils are a team built from the goal out, this is a huge problem this close to the playoffs. The forwards are not coming back and backchecking as hard as they were a month ago and some seriously bad decisions are being made with the puck in their own end when pressed by opposing forwards. Johnny did warn of this before the trading deadline as you'll recall. He begged Devils GM Lou Lamoriello to add a solid puck moving defenseman and a sandpaper type forward who would add some passion and grit. Lamoriello's answer at the trade deadline was 35-year-old defenseman Niclas Havelid who fit nether category.
Johnny is of the mind the responsibility for this lies with the players who don't seem to be all that into playing NHL hockey right now. Past that, notorious cheapskate Lou Lamoriello had his chance to add to the team and chose to just add a journeyman role player.
The Devils had better snap out of this right quick or they'll be made quick work of by a team that has had to fight hard and play hard just to make it into the playoffs. A team who for all intents and purposes has been playing playoff hockey since February. A team interested in playing hard every night, something the Devils are falling short of.
What is REALLY the most troubling is all world netminder Martin Brodeur has looked, well, crappy these last few games. Not seeing pucks well, giving up terrible rebounds and in general just not looking comfortable in net. Since the Devils are a team built from the goal out, this is a huge problem this close to the playoffs. The forwards are not coming back and backchecking as hard as they were a month ago and some seriously bad decisions are being made with the puck in their own end when pressed by opposing forwards. Johnny did warn of this before the trading deadline as you'll recall. He begged Devils GM Lou Lamoriello to add a solid puck moving defenseman and a sandpaper type forward who would add some passion and grit. Lamoriello's answer at the trade deadline was 35-year-old defenseman Niclas Havelid who fit nether category.
Johnny is of the mind the responsibility for this lies with the players who don't seem to be all that into playing NHL hockey right now. Past that, notorious cheapskate Lou Lamoriello had his chance to add to the team and chose to just add a journeyman role player.
The Devils had better snap out of this right quick or they'll be made quick work of by a team that has had to fight hard and play hard just to make it into the playoffs. A team who for all intents and purposes has been playing playoff hockey since February. A team interested in playing hard every night, something the Devils are falling short of.
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