Poll: Do You Want Lemaire as the Devils Coach?

The funny thing about all this is, with the way Lou tends to operate; media silence and all that, Lemaire running his mouth about wanting the job almost guarantees he won’t be the new head coach.

I don’t want Lemaire back for a few reasons. For one, I don’t believe his coaching style would work in the current NHL atmosphere. I also want some stability in the coaching job for once. We’ve had something like four coaches in five years, and we want to put a 64 year old (who really should be retired) in there? Get a younger, hungrier coach who won’t get homesick and pull a Sutter.

I don’t want him. I know defense wins games and championships but… When you have Zach Parise, Travis Zajac, Patrik Elias, Jamie, Rolston, etc. Its not the smartest thing to do when both are young and put up points.Mike Haviland or Peter Laviolette. Laviolette is an offensive coach and resembles Sutter.

he should be asst. coach.it would greatly improve the power play,i noticed his teams always have good power plays but his overall stratagey is out dated.

“On the other hand, Lemaire never coached a team where he had a ridiculous talent like Zach Parise, Travis Zajac working well with said ridiculous talent, and Patrik Elias putting up a point per game season.”

I feel like there is a common misperception that the Devils never had any offensive talent prior to, like, 2000. (I kind of think it’s because ‘95 was a pretty long time ago, now, and a lot of current fans probably weren’t around then or during the green, red and white era, but that’s neither here nor there.) The ‘94-’95 Devils had Stephane Richer, John MacLean, Neil Broten, Bill Guerin, Brian Rolston, a 29 year old Claude Lemieux, Scott Neidermayer, and a 30 year old Scott Stevens (22 pts in 48 regular season games played on the blueline) on the roster, and some other players like Zelepukin and Chorske (a burner) who could chip in on offense. I think that team won because Lou put together a very strong and interesting mix of veterans and youngsters and because Lemaire got a lot of pretty talented players to buy into a defense-first system. They had the talent to put pucks in the net when given the opportunity, but they played a disciplined style and won because they sacrificed some scoring opportunities in exchange for a winning defensive system.

Now, to answer the question… No, I don’t want Lemaire behind the bench in 2009-‘10. Two reasons – I’d prefer the Devils go out and find a more long-term solution (and I like the idea of a younger, hungrier coach), and I don’t think Lemaire’s defensive style is best-suited to the personnel on the Devils anymore. But it’s not because I think offensive players can’t win in his system or that his style is best-suited to a team with less offensive talent. It’s because I don’t think the current defensive personnel is as strong as it was in the ‘90s and I’d rather see the Devils play to their strengths, which still include defense but not like it did in the 90s. I think Lemaire’s system is better suited to a more physical team with a stronger presence on the blueline, I just don’t think it would be the best route to victory for this current group.

have the best personnel to play Lemaire’s style. If they wind up with an Oduya-Martin pairing again going into the year, I don’t see them as being the best fit for a Lemaire-coached team.

I’d much rather see Laviolette. He’s still my first choice. At the same time, we all know Lemaire is a very good coach who will probably bring some good discipline back to the team.

Lemaire brought us the cup with his defensive system which by the way Lou favors. I myself do not want Lemaire as coach because that would be a step backwards. I do not like any of the choices out here enough to keep Lou from going in house for Mclean. I foresee Lou going for someone from Montreal which usually seems to be his route when choosing a coach. Carbonneau happens to be available right now. I just hope that he does not even thinks about Mike Keenan. Laviolette made the Islanders better but when he left the Hurricanes this year they became a better team. It will be interesting to see which way he goes.

and runs a pretty sound defensive system, but not the Lemaire stranglehold. I really think he got the raw end of the deal there. I’d be surprised if he’s on the market a long time.