On December 23rd, 2011, the New Jersey Devils were the 2nd worst team in the NHL with a record of 9 wins - 22 Losses - 2 Overtime/Shootout losses. They had only 1 win in the last 9 games and been out scored 15-3 in the last 3 games. The devils were disorganized, injured and a complete disappointment to their fans. They simply weren't the team everyone, including themselves, had expected them to be this season. The 2010-2011 season was over for the New Jersey Devils, they were too deep in a hole and buried to even think of making the Stanley Cup playoffs.
The Devils looking like the Titantic, already sunk in every body's minds. There were supposed to be drastic changes to the team, in order to rebuild them for the future. The speculation had already started earlier in December that the Devils would start to off load some of their UFAs and bigger contracts including future Hall of Fame goalie, Martin Brodeur.
On December 23, Devils' GM Lou Lamoriello announced that he had fired Head Coach John MacLean. He explained that the fault lay with himself and the players, not John. The GM had decided to bring back Jacques Lemaire for this season. The only man Lamoriello felt could help decide how to move forward and clearly evaluate the team. He had asked his friend Jacques to just coach, teach and see what were the problems that needed to be addressed with the team until the end of the year.
Jacques Lemaire, having coached the Devils last year before retiring from hockey, knew the players well. He coached the Devils that night but he also saw the same losing results as MacLean. He lost the first 3 games before winning one. With the Devils' disappointing 1-7 record under Lemaire, GM Lamoriello traded captain Jamie Langenbrunner just 15 days after the coaching change . Lamoriello went out of his way to explain that the trade was made for the reason that Langenbrunner's on-ice role would be reduced, allowing the younger players to play bigger minutes for coaching staff to better evaluate them. He also stated that the Devils would not be re-signing Langerbrunner who would be a UFA at the end of the season so it was better to trade him now. Lamoriello felt that this move was respectful to Langerbrunner for all his years of service for the Devils. One of Lamoriello's statements stood out the most for me at the time:
"We have to look at what the reasons are that we find ourselves in this situation. In my opinion it's not talent, but maybe it's the wrong talent, wrong chemistry. That starts with me."
"We have to look at what the reasons are that we find ourselves in this situation. In my opinion it's not talent, but maybe it's the wrong talent, wrong chemistry. That starts with me."
Since Lamoriello made that trade, the Devils have a record of 20 wins - 2 losses - 2 OT/SO losses with their All Star goalie, Martin Brodeur, missing some of those games. They had turned their dismal season completely around despite the absence of Zach Parise, Brodeur, and trading their captain. Lemaire has been able to diagnose the problems and make the necessary changes to get the Devils playing successful hockey. It sure looks like Langerbrunner may have been one of the problems but definitely not the only one. Lemaire and his coaches have the team playing smart defense-first hockey with opportunistic scoring. Even more impressive about Lemaire is that he has convinced offensive talent, Ilya Kovalchuk, that this system will win games. Kovalchuk is working hard on learning to play defense but he has also exploded on offense. He has increased his goals from 9 to 24 and reduced his plus/minus ratio to -17 from an awful -27. Ilya is scoring big goals to win games and has bought completely into Lemaire's system. The Devils are playing it one game at a time but they are also closing the gap between themselves and a playoff spot. They are charging for the 8th spot in the Eastern Conference, after being 18 points out, and are now only 8 points behind the Buffalo Sabres. With 17 games left to play and 8 points to gain, will time run out on this team that just won't quit?
The Devils, Lemaire and Lamoriello have turned into the story of this season. They will receive a big boost from the return of All Star goal scorer, Zach Parise sometime in the next couple of weeks. This could turn out to be the biggest turn around of any team in all of sports. I, for one, believe they are going to do it. If they make that 8th spot for the Stanley Cup playoffs, then it is a whole new season for the surging Devils. Watch out, whoever has to face them in the first round series. This team isn't supposed to be anywhere near the playoffs so they will be a very dangerous team to play against just like the Canadiens and Flyers of last season. A team like the Devils are going to be having so much fun and playing with absolutely nothing to lose!
Jacques Lemaire is definitely the coach of the year. He also now belongs right up there with Hall of Fame coaches Scotty Bowman and Toe Blake. The New Jersey Devils story is starting to look like a legendary myth that will be recounted to all hockey teams who are ever down and out!
We should all lace up the skates, strap on the helmet and sit back because we are in for one hell of a wild ride. Let's all watch the Devils blaze their way through the teams ahead of them right into the Stanley Cup playoffs!
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