180 replies to this topic

[The Facepainter]

I think everyone would have something to be excited about if Rolston were the next to retire in the next few hours. Anyway, I liked lemaire, but like many, I was not sure that the constant line changes were good for this team.

[maxpower]

I think everyone would have something to be excited about if Rolston were the next to retire in the next few hours. Anyway, I liked lemaire, but like many, I was not sure that the constant line changes were good for this team.

if he retires, $5M stays on the books for the next two years. him retiring is basically the worst thing that could happen.... I'd rather have him around than that.

[LucifersDog]

Agree with all, Langs. Rolston and Pando go, Kovy & Martin sign and we get a better back up goalie. But this won't happen not if Lou stays.

[HellOnICE]

Jamie could easily be dealt. Easily. However, I think he'd need to replaced - my vote would be Colby Armstrong. But I've written that already.

[Devs3cups]

Agree with all, Langs. Rolston and Pando go, Kovy & Martin sign and we get a better back up goalie. But this won't happen not if Lou stays.

Lou is not the problem here LD.

[SS-SS]

Agree with all, Langs. Rolston and Pando go, Kovy & Martin sign and we get a better back up goalie. But this won't happen not if Lou stays.

Hahaha you always make me laugh...you want to put the whole team in the garbage...Lou,JL,Brodeur etc etc haha even if I agree with you on JL I still don't agree with the fact that Lou should leave.We have one of the best GM's in the league if not the best and you will know it when he retires.

[hit the post]

They made him an offer he couldn't refuse

[halfsharkalligatorhalfman]

This is glorious news.

It was sad to see Jacques go out like this. He was one of the biggest reasons for the Devils' early success and I appreciate that. He was one of the best who ever coached hockey PERIOD (assuming this is really the end). He is a legend lest we forget that.

But god, he was the wrong coach for this team today. The thought of another year of his reign was painful.

Edited by halfsharkalligatorhalfman, 26 April 2010 - 06:36 PM.

[MantaRay]

Agree with all, Langs. Rolston and Pando go, Kovy & Martin sign and we get a better back up goalie. But this won't happen not if Lou stays.

LMAO. All of sudden LOU is the problem???? It was bad coaching plain and simple.

Langs, Rolston & Martin will no doubt stay.

Pando, Kovy, Peters, Special Nieds are all expendible.

[NJDevils1214]

I also don't see how Lou became the problem. I think we are all in agreement that the 2009-2010 team had more then enough potential to reach the cup final. Lou wasn't the one on the ice showing no heart, making the mistakes, and not getting the job done. As far as we all knew the Devils team that he put together was going to compete very well this post season. It isn't his fault that they didn't produce...again.

[MantaRay]

I also don't see how Lou became the problem. I think we are all in agreement that the 2009-2010 team had more then enough potential to reach the cup final. Lou wasn't the one on the ice showing no heart, making the mistakes, and not getting the job done. As far as we all knew the Devils team that he put together was going to compete very well this post season. It isn't his fault that they didn't produce...again.

I agree. This was a solid team, before the Kovy trade. We were 30-10 at one point. The coach lost the team and the players lost their way.

We changed for the worse after getting Kovy as everyone altered their play to defer to Kovy and became the New Jersey Thrashers.

[Neb00rs]

I agree. This was a solid team, before the Kovy trade. We were 30-10 at one point. The coach lost the team and the players lost their way.

We changed for the worse after getting Kovy as everyone altered their play to defer to Kovy and became the New Jersey Thrashers.

When we got Kovy we definitely turned into the "NJ Thrashers" a little bit. But we lost our way before he got here. What was our record in January? The addition of Kovy just confused us a whole lot more.

[LucifersDog]

Lou is not the problem here LD.

I wish I could believe you but he has been terrible since the lockout. He has made so many bad moves since the lockout. I am sorry it has to lay on his door step. He hires the coaches. He allows Marty to decide all. He offers the worst contracts. He can't sign a UFA that we should have kept. He has over paid and offer contracts that are too long to players that don't deserve what he offers. He is over the hill.

[LucifersDog]

Hahaha you always make me laugh...you want to put the whole team in the garbage...Lou,JL,Brodeur etc etc haha even if I agree with you on JL I still don't agree with the fact that Lou should leave.We have one of the best GM's in the league if not the best and you will know it when he retires.

I never picked on JL not once, I would rather have him than Johnny Mac yesterday, tomorrow and in the future.

[LucifersDog]

LMAO. All of sudden LOU is the problem???? It was bad coaching plain and simple.

Langs, Rolston & Martin will no doubt stay.

Pando, Kovy, Peters, Special Nieds are all expendible.

Lou is on top it's his problem. The Devils haven't had a defense in 4 years in the playoffs, the goalie Marty Brodeur has lost 3 of the past 4 years in the playoffs; not this year. Who do you think is the problem 23 players in a conspiracy? I don't think so. How many coaches?

[sundstrom]

regarding langenbrunner - i've always thought he was a bit childish and sort of questioned the C in the first place but he clearly had enough respect in the room that the other players bought into him and he was captain of team USA.

sure he could've handled the lemaire thing better but to say he's a cancer is a bit much.

i'm 100% behind exploring what we can get for him but I'm not 100% for trading him no matter what.

as for the next coach, what is imperative is that the devils try to find someone who isn't coming in with a short expected shelf life like lemaire did. best case scenario, JL was here for 2 years. that was warming the bench for maclean. at this point, give it to him with capable assistants (stevens would be one good one for his history and attitude - i'd look to an older coach that has experience to work with them).

the next guy has to be young enough to not want to "retire" after 1 or 2 years and be given the chance to have at least a 3 year career here.

[NJDevils1214]

Lou is on top it's his problem. The Devils haven't had a defense in 4 years in the playoffs, the goalie Marty Brodeur has lost 3 of the past 4 years in the playoffs; not this year. Who do you think is the problem 23 players in a conspiracy? I don't think so. How many coaches?

Obviously his problem to fix but he is not the cause nor 100% to blame.

[DaneykoIsGod]

It's tough with this postseason's shortcomings so fresh in our minds, but I've gotta give a big thanks to Jacques here.

There are a handful of guys that, without them, the Devils never become "The Devils." Lou is one of them. Marty and Stevens are two more. And Jacques Lemaire is definitely another.

Lemaire brought the ineffable system. That system has become the Devils trademark (and arguably a stereotype). Without it, there is no way in hell that team in '95 sweeps the Wings. Without that sweep, who knows if this team even stays in New Jersey. But they swept and they stayed. And even after Lemaire left, his system stayed and three more Cup Finals berths and two more championships followed.

The system now looks outdated, and apparently so is Jacques. He came back for a swan song and, at times, this past season was pretty awesome, but it didn't end well. Lemaire has now taken his leave. Perhaps his system will too. That much remains to be seen, but this much is certain: We all owe Lemaire a big thanks.

So thank you, Coach. Best of luck to ya!

[Devil Fan]

Lemaire>Sutter

Next move: Pandolfo should join him.

[nyrsuck26]

Trading Langenbrunner will cause more questions and distractions than it will solve IMO. I don't think he is anywhere near the "cancer" that you guys are making him out to be. I also don't think he "quit on the team" like you guys. He was just one of just about everyone on the team who SUCKED in the playoffs this year. He will still be a leader on the team next year whether you guys like it or not (whether or not he is the captain is a different story, he may be ready to step down from that). He is not going anywhere.

Rolston and Pandolfo (and possibly White, but I'm back-and-forth on that one) really should be dealt. Not because they're not useful players, just because they're salaries are ridiculous and the Devils need the cap space. But, I think we all know that chances are they are not going anywhere.