Lamoriello on Lemaire: "It came down to that he was the best person"

After Brent Sutter stepped down as his head coach on June 9, Devils general manager Lou Lamoriello was intent on conducting a thorough search for Sutter's replacement.

So, even after Lamoriello intiially called Lemaire to see if he was interested in the job, he also called other potential candidates before getting back to Lemaire. They finally wrapped things up over the weekend and Lamoriello announced that Lemaire was coming back for his second term as head coach in a conference call this afternoon.

"When Brent left, we had to really look and see who was available everywhere," Lamoriello said. "That's the diligence you have to do. I certainly knew he wasn't going back to Minnesota, but you take a step back and then look at all the other alternatives and potential candidates and then looked at our team and knowing what he brings and knowing what he can do with some younger players and also how the veterans respond to him, it came down to that he was the best person."

"Even though I thought he was the best person, I wanted to spend some time with him to make sure that this was what he wanted, make sure he looked at some of our films, knew exactly the team we had. Because I knew how diligent and meticulous he is, I wanted to make sure that there was nothing left and that's what took a little time."

Lamoriello wanted to be certain that Lemaire was certain that he wanted to do the job.

"I wanted to make sure it was what he wanted to do and make sure that he knew everything there is to know without being with the team -- other than what he saw during the year," Lamoriello said. "So, I made sure he got some films and made sure he looked at what our lineup was, who we had, and made sure it was a comfortable decision from his part, so that there was never any looking back."

One of Lemaire's strengths is working with young players and that will be important in 2009-10 as youngsters such as Nicklas Bergfors, Rod Pelley, Matt Corrente, Tyler Eckford, Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblond and others get a chance to make the team in training camp.

"There's no better teacher," Lamoriello said. "He knows the patience you have to have. We have five or six young players that I think will be in and out of this lineup for the right reasons in bringing people along and so I'm excited."

Lamoriello is not concerned with the perception that Lemaire is too defensive-minded and that might restrict the team's offensive players after they were able to be more aggresive under Sutter.

"That's a perception that became a reality," Lamoriello said. "If you got back to '94, we led the (Eastern Confernece with 306 goals). You go back to 1995 and we were in the top six or seven (in the league). But the defense was always up there. Jacques an innovator and he will go accordingly with what it takes to win. And if that isn't the way you coach and you have to worry about perception when you coach, then you're in trouble.

"I don't worry about that because those were conversations we had as far as the style. He saw the way we played and even made a point of saying on the phone that he thought Brent did a great job. In fact, the thing that I think that he's most pleased about is that the players who do have the offensive abilities, how good they are defensively."

Lemaire will turn 64 on Sept. 7, but Lamoriello said he is not concerned about his age.

"Age is a number," Lamoriello said. "He's in tremendous shape. He's a very diligent person. He lives the right lifestyle. I have no issues with that whatsover."

Lemaire said he intends to coach more than one season, but Lamoriello also hinted at the plan for the team's head coaching position in the long-term future when he mentioned that former assistant coach John MacLean is shifting to Lowell to become the head coach of the team's AHL affiliate.

"There's a lot in this," Lamoriello said. "I think it's time for John to get his own team with the experiences he's had. So, he'll go and take over Lowell. I have no issues with that."

Lamoriello said this is a step "to keep him going forward" in his development as a coach.

"This was a decision he made," Lamoriello said. "We talked about it and, overall, whatever decisions are made have to be right for the organization. We talked about it and he was very comfortable with it."

Of new Devils assistant coach Mario Tremblay, Lamoriello said, "He's a very upbeat person, very enthusiastic and has worked with Jacques, so there is a comfortability there, so there is no transition between coaches. And he handles the defense behind the bench and (Tommy Albelin) is going to learn and Abby will be here as a connection with the players who were here (last season)."

Lamoriello also is excited that Scott Stevens will be taking a more active role in his position as a special assignment coach.

"He'll be here a lot more and work with the players here and also with the players with Lowell," Lamoriello said.

Lamoriello said goaltending coach Jacques Caron has put off retirement, but will be less active.

"That's why Chris Terreri is going to spend a certain amount of time here," Lamoriello said. "(Caron) is going to do a little less, but he's going to be back."

Comments

[Devilswede]

Thanks TG! I have zero doubts that Lemaire is the best fit. Lou knows what he's doing. Thanks for the rest of the updates too. Now we know!

[Z-Man]

Lemaire, Tremblay, Albelin, Caron, Stevens, Terreri.

Guess no one is going to coach the forwards.

[kstatik]

"**Right wing Nicklas Bergfors could not attend for personal reasons.

"There was an extenuating circumstance for why he's not here and we respect," Lamoriello said. "He'll be coming here early, though, (before training camp in September)."

Lamoriello said there were no issues with Bergfors' health."

... which in Lou-speak means that Bergfors is dying! Oh no!

[Maxwell]

Foreshadowing???

Article about Lemaire leaving the Wild (in April), but look at the seats...

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=4066114

[kstatik]

Blast from the past:

http://njmg.typepad.com/devilsblog/2009/03/lemaire-remembers-first-stanley-cup-brodeurs-beginnings-.html

That's TG's entry the day that NJ spanked the Wild 4-0.

Just think: now Lemaire has OUR players to work with - not the Wild's.

Are we all still being all pessimistic?

He's already said that he appreciates how well the Devils forwards can play defensively. That
doesn't sound to me like he wants to change too much!

[jdog]

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/217344-the-return-of-jacques-lemaire

[ester]

I love Jacques! All the best of luck for him. It would be nice if Cheap Lou got him some players!

[kstatik]

http://boards.wild.com/index.php?showtopic=28810

The Wild forum. The majority of the posters there are wishing Lemaire well and then saying that
we're going to be a much better team for it and drooling over our roster. lol

I like those Minny fans!

[Philly Devil]

Love the entire overhall in our coaching system. I'll mis Terrir in Trenton but I love that OUR PLAYERS are now teaching our future and what it is to be a Devil and how a Devil plays. Lou is incredible.

[brian s]

TG...any comment from johnny mac

[Ben]

I'm starting to get a little more confident in the situation because you'd have to be an idiot to not coach similarly with the way we played for most of the year last year. But we do need players. We can't be relying on 5 rookies to step up.