Chere: Devils' search for new coach may be down to Middletown native Mike Haviland, Michel Therrien

Well then, looks like Johnny Mac is going to coach the AHL team again.

almost 2 years ago thatguy011071 20 comments 0 recs |

Comments

Wow from the article:

Devils general manager Lou Lamoriello today made a long overdue announcement by acknowledging the organization will shift operations of its top minor-league team from Lowell, Mass., back to Albany, N.Y. He said the plan is to keep John MacLean as the club’s coach.

"Everything is status quo with the (minor-league) coaching staff, as it stands," Lamoriello said.

I’m not surprised this is the case, but I would like to know if Mac was at least interviewed or considered for the New Jersey job. Like I commented in a couple of post, depending on the contract length the new coach signs, I feel MacLean will be offered a head coaching job with another organization, and he’ll take it.

by Matthew Ventolo on Jun 10, 2010 10:28 PM EDT reply actions

From same post, so it's related

With July 1 approaching, Lamoriello said he will try to sign defenseman Paul Martin before he becomes an unrestricted free agent.

"We’re going to do whatever we can to sign him," Lamoriello said.

This is correct.

Devils in my heart! Devils in my mind! Devils in my eyes! Devils until I die!
In Lou We Trust - The New Jersey Devils SBN Blog

by John Fischer on Jun 10, 2010 10:36 PM EDT reply actions

If it’s down to these two I really hope it’s Haviland. I found this quote from a story about Haviland that was written last year

Sacrifices remain. His wife and three children have lived on the East Coast for four years since he joined the Blackhawks organization, only seeing him in summers and once a month during the season.

If his family still lives on the East Coast I’m sure he would love to come to NJ

by C.J. Richey on Jun 10, 2010 11:04 PM EDT reply actions

Question is, though, WHERE on the East Coast is his family now exactly?

If it’s in NY or NJ(or god help them..in PHI), then it’s perfect. But if it’s further down toward Florida…

by BrockRocks on Jun 11, 2010 12:04 AM EDT up reply actions

I would assume somewhere in NJ since that’s where he’s from and where he coached before joining the Blackhawks organization. I could be wrong though

by C.J. Richey on Jun 11, 2010 12:25 AM EDT up reply actions

There is surprisingly little information about the guy on the net, but I did find an article from the Rockford Register Star from May 2008 that says:

While he has his hockey family to worry about, he simply won’t ignore his other family — wife Lori, sons Shane, 8, and Riley, 6, and daughter Kelly. He had just flown back from Sea Girt, N.J., where his home sits about a half mile from the Atlantic Ocean.

It’s two years old and from when he was coaching the Ice Hogs, so things could be different, but the tone of the article and his quotes about uprooting his family:

The big decision each year remains the same — do we relocate, or stay put?
The answer keeps coming up as the latter. It means not having to start in new schools, or constantly change doctors, or sell two houses in three years, etc.

would suggest they still live in Sea Girt (I had to look it up… it’s about an hour south down the Turnpike/GSP from Newark) and the fact that two years later he is still separated from his family, would strongly suggest that he would favor the Devils coaching position over any other, in a reverse-Sutter kind of way.

Let’s hope he impresses Lou.

"There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics." -Mark Twain (?)

by elesias on Jun 11, 2010 8:21 AM EDT up reply actions

Sea Girt

I did a job in Sea Girt. I used to work in construction as a helper (which seems like a lifetime ago) and we built an addition onto to someones house with a balcony facing the ocean. Its the only place I have ever seen that the garbage men go into the back yard to collect the gi-cans and then put them back. From personal experience the people are very nice there and of course its gorgeous. The State Police have a training facility there so you often hear gun fire in the distance (not always, but sometimes). I guess it depends on your location in Sea Girt relative to the training facility. Sea girt is the location I would like to live if I ever strike it rich in the lottery. To me, its that nice.

Yeah I know, has nothing to do about hockey but when you mentioned Sea Girt got me reminiscing. LoL

You're Next!

by thatguy011071 on Jun 11, 2010 8:41 AM EDT up reply actions

As a Middletown resident, I’m pulling hard for Haviland. At least I’m assuming it’s Middleytown, NJ and not NY, CT, or OH (or any of the many other states that have a Middletown)

by JoeyV on Jun 11, 2010 12:19 AM EDT reply actions

Middletown is nice, I don’t live far from there being from Old Bridge.

You're Next!

by thatguy011071 on Jun 11, 2010 8:42 AM EDT up reply actions

If this is true, I hope it doesn’t make John Maclean resentful and want to leave after his contract is expired.

You're Next!

by thatguy011071 on Jun 11, 2010 7:55 AM EDT reply actions

Johnny is a smart guy. He knows some of the great coaches need to have a legitimate coaching time in the AHL. He’ll be signed back and maybe named head coach.

"Hockey is a sport for white men. Basketball is a sport for black men. Golf is a sport for white men dressed like black pimps."- Tiger Woods

by RolliePollieKovy on Jun 11, 2010 8:00 AM EDT reply actions

I will say this, he did a great job with the AHL team last year. I am very interested to see what he will do this year. Who will be playing there this year? I know It will be (most likely, unless they make the big club) Adam Henrique, Alexander Urbom. I am not sure on Josefson and Tedenby because I thought they had clauses that prevented them from being send to the minors.

You're Next!

by thatguy011071 on Jun 11, 2010 8:22 AM EDT up reply actions

Haviland

might be a good choice.

by Imperator_Celtic on Jun 11, 2010 8:54 AM EDT reply actions

Well he definitely seems to be interested. I never really heard of the guy till now and I certainly never knew he was drafted by New Jersey. Whoever we pick, I just hope its the right pick. Someone who wants to do well with the team long term. I know its been a while now but that Brent Sutter thing is still a bitter pill. Looking back it was still really sleazy of him and completely unprofessional. So, having said that I hope the next coach wants to be here and cares about the team. And Lou, it would be nice of you to drop some hints here and there about what is going on. I know its not your M.O but its not national security at stake here either.

You're Next!

by thatguy011071 on Jun 11, 2010 9:27 AM EDT up reply actions

Outside of his connections to NJ and his apparent success as a coach, which is all well and good, does anyone actually know anything about Haviland’s coaching style and what we might expect from him should he be the next HC?

"There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics." -Mark Twain (?)

by elesias on Jun 11, 2010 9:39 AM EDT reply actions

i dont know a whole lot about haviland

but other then maclean(who lou seems reluctant to call to duty),the other choices make me willing to give the mystery surprise behind door # haviland a try.

by Imperator_Celtic on Jun 11, 2010 4:19 PM EDT up reply actions