MadDog2020 Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 (edited) For the first time in 28 years, it's no longer Status Quo. For the first time since I was 8 years old, Lou Lamoriello is no longer the General Manager of the New Jersey Devils. It is truly the End of an Era, and what an era it was. 3 Cups. 5 Eastern Conference Championships. 9 division titles. 21 playoff appearances in 28 years. Making perennial winners out of what was once called a 'Mickey Mouse operation'. Lou is one of a kind. He IS the New Jersey Devils. He has made the Devils what they are. Without him, this franchise would've been in Nashville years ago. He gave us everything he had, he made the Devils feared and respected, and he did it his way all the way to the end. So I wanted to say THANK YOU LOU. Thank you for raising the bar as high as it could go. Thank you for making winners out of the Devils. Thank you for giving us a team we could be proud of year after year. Thank you for always striving to make this organization the best it can be. THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING. And congratulations on an amazing career! Edited May 5, 2015 by MadDog2020 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louismydad Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 what a beautiful man 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devil Dan 56 Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 Amazing run. One of the best in modern sports. I'm excited for the future, but I'll always have all the respect in the world for the things Lou did for this franchise. Getting Stevens as compensation, trading DOWN to get Brodeur, trading Kurvers hoping for Lindros and ending up with Neids, acquiring Gilmout, Andreychuk, and Mogilny (some of my favorite players) trading up for Parise, Kovalchuk, Schneider... Some great moves over the years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadDog2020 Posted May 5, 2015 Author Share Posted May 5, 2015 (edited) Amazing run. One of the best in modern sports. I'm excited for the future, but I'll always have all the respect in the world for the things Lou did for this franchise. Getting Stevens as compensation, trading DOWN to get Brodeur, trading Kurvers hoping for Lindros and ending up with Neids, acquiring Gilmout, Andreychuk, and Mogilny (some of my favorite players) trading up for Parise, Kovalchuk, Schneider... Some great moves over the years. Trading Sylvain Turgeon for Claude Lemieux. Trading Sean Burke and Eric Weinrich for Bobby Holik and a 2nd round pick that became Jay Pandolfo. Guerin and Zelepukin for Arnott. Arnott for Langenbrunner and Niuewendyk. Getting Randy McKay as compensation for Troy Crowder. Finding Rafalski in Europe. Signing John Madden. Bringing Fetisov over. I mean, we could go on all night listing the great moves Lou has made over the years. Edited May 5, 2015 by MadDog2020 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StormJosh Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 Trading Sylvain Turgeon for Claude Lemieux. Trading Sean Burke and Eric Weinrich for Bobby Holik and a 2nd round pick that became Jay Pandolfo. Guerin and Zelepukin for Arnott. Arnott for Langenbrunner and Niuewendyk. Getting Randy McKay as compensation for Troy Crowder. Finding Rafalski in Europe. Signing John Madden. Bringing Fetisov over. I mean, we could go on all night listing the great moves Lou has made over the years. ...and we should. How about getting Stevens as compensation and convincing him to stay instead of accepting Rod Brindamour. Curtis Joseph, and draft picks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louismydad Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 my father 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadDog2020 Posted May 5, 2015 Author Share Posted May 5, 2015 (edited) ...and we should. How about getting Stevens as compensation and convincing him to stay instead of accepting Rod Brindamour. Curtis Joseph, and draft picks.Perhaps the signature move of Lou's career, and the defining moment for the franchise, along with drafting Brodeur. Muller for Richer. Cory Millen for Neal Broten. Alexander Semak and Ben Hankinson for Shawn Chambers. Edited May 5, 2015 by MadDog2020 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJDevs4978 Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 Hiring Lemaire was probably more important than any of the player moves, or at least it turned the Devils from a talented underachiever to championship caliber. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadDog2020 Posted May 5, 2015 Author Share Posted May 5, 2015 Hiring Lemaire was probably more important than any of the player moves, or at least it turned the Devils from a talented underachiever to championship caliber.Another master Lou stroke. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 Underrated move was the Mogilny trade. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zubie#8 Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 GOD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slasher72 Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 Yes it was clearly time for change, but Lou has been a hell of a GM over the years and will be as much a cornerstone to this franchise as Jerry West is to the Lakers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jagknife Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 Underrated move was the Mogilny trade. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk What a damn move that was. Reaped the benefits for two seasons, just ran into Borque's gift, otherwise we'd be repeat champs... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewarkDevil5 Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 Thank you, Mr Lamoriello, for the culture of winning you brought to a perennially losing franchise. More even than the individual championships and the playoff runs themselves, the idea that every year the Devils needed to be talked about with respect was something that more than anything can be attributed to the changes made by your own determination and skill. The very fact of the Devils current existence is directly attributable to your engineering the 1995 Cup team but the rock-solid foundation of their continued existence here is more impressively due to that continued success which made New Jersey's team an entity to be taken seriously throughout the league. You are respected across all sports, but you are truly beloved in the Garden State. Thank you, Mr Lamoriello, for your continued service and oversight that will help to guide Mr. Shero in carrying a torch that you were gracious enough to light. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nessus Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 (edited) Lou always knows what's best for the team, even when it doesn't involve him. Mr. Lamoriello will certainly be missed as GM! Edited May 5, 2015 by nessus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadDog2020 Posted May 5, 2015 Author Share Posted May 5, 2015 Another master Lou move: firing Robbie Ftorek with about three weeks to go in the season and making Larry Robinson head coach in 2000. One of the most important moves Lou ever made. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobilly45 Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 The guy was pure class, never spoke down about anyone and always put the team first before anyone. Hes been the devils gm for all but 6 days of my life, so its weird seeing a new gm, but lou picked him and as the saying goes "in lou we trust". Still glad he remains with the team for at least another year. I'm kinda going to miss those interviews where you had to read between the lines to figure out what lou was saying, and the fact that it was extremely rare to get any rumors about a devils trade/coaching change before Lou himself announced it. Maybe he'll pass those skills down to the new gm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zubie#8 Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 The one time I met him was at MSG during a preseason game, I believe in 2010. He was in the lower bowl watching warmups and when he made his way down towards the tunnel I saw him and I said hey Lou! He replied, "lets beat these guys tonight! ". Even during the preseason he wanted to beat the rags badly. It was a great moment for me when I was a 20 yr old. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJDfan1711 Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 He's been the GM of the team since I was 1, and the only man at the helm I've known since following the team in the early 90s. It was probably time for him to step aside, and I give him a lot of credit for doing so because it takes a big man to swallow his pride, but he will definitely be missed and his contributions certainly not forgotten. As others have said, he, along with Brodeur, are the guys who basically ARE the New Jersey Devils. It's too bad he didn't have a number on his back, because he's definitely worth of a jersey retirement ceremony. It's funny when you're at the top the way he is, there's really no one above him to acknowledge and celebrate his accomplishments, accept maybe the hockey hall of fame. If you think about it, he's outlasted several ownership groups over the years, so even really the current group probably isn't able to appreciate or understand his impact to the team. It's really only us, the fans, who have been there all the time alongside Lou, experiencing it all. We, or at least I, owe him a lot for providing me with more than two decades of successful and entertaining hockey. Thank you Lou. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HellOnICE Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 Lou!!!!! Love Lou. We need a banner, statue or some sort of acknowledgment of Lou by ownership - even though he's still President of the team. We're way behind on statues by the way. Dr. McMullen Lou Marty Stevens/Johnny Mac/Driver lifting the Cup in '95 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MantaRay Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 The man built this franchise and turned the team from a "Mickey Mouse organization" to perennial contender. He is our Vince Lombardi. I believe he still has put us on the path to future success, but I think Shero is the right guy to put the final touches on the future Stanley Cup Champions! IN LOU WE TRUST! LGD! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slasher72 Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 Lou!!!!! Love Lou. We need a banner, statue or some sort of acknowledgment of Lou by ownership - even though he's still President of the team. We're way behind on statues by the way. Dr. McMullen Lou Marty Stevens/Johnny Mac/Driver lifting the Cup in '95 And the Toxic Avenger! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck the Duck Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 There is not enough praise I can heap on Lou for his work here in NJ over the past 28 years. More than anyone else, he embodies what it means to be a NJ Devil. All I can say is thank you! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StarDew Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 At the Meadowlands, my seats were in front of the box Lou sat in for all home games. During game 3 of 1995 SCF he asked me where my mother was. She used to go to all the games with my brother. I had my own seats. I told him that she had passed away the night of game 1. A dear family friend, who Lou recognized, was wearing the NJD shirt my mom wore to games. Lou also knew he was a NYR fan. He expressed his condolences and told our friend that what he did was noble. When we won game 4, Lou opened the glass and said the Devils won the cup for her. I will always remember his concern and kindness. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmann422 Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 The man built this franchise and turned the team from a "Mickey Mouse organization" to perennial contender. He is our Vince Lombardi. I believe he still has put us on the path to future success, but I think Shero is the right guy to put the final touches on the future Stanley Cup Champions! IN LOU WE TRUST! LGD! amen. I like people recalling his memorable roster moves and trades, but the truth is the greatest contribution he ever made to this franchise was a shift in mentality from a Mickey Mouse franchise to a perennial contender, and it wasn't any single trade or pickup or draft pick that did that. Some people don't like the no facial hair, low numbers and no social media policies, but they helped cultivate a culture of winning and set the course that the franchise is still on (and one that I am immensely proud of) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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