The End of an Era

Vol. I, No. 46

Lost in the shadow of the ongoing Stanley Cup playoffs is the news emanating today from Newark.  The Wizard has retired. And in his absence, a new era must dawn in New Jersey.

Jacques Lemaire, the winningest coach in Devils history, the man who brought the Minnesota Wild from nothing to something, a member of eight Montreal Stanley Cup winning teams, one of only six NHL players in history to score TWO Stanley Cup winning goals, has hung up his skates and his playbook.

He has coached for 16 years, and before that played for twelve seasons with Montreal.  Lemaire has been in the hockey world since starting with the Montreal Junior Canadiens in 1963.  His record has been a lifetime of achievement.

Approaching his 65th birthday, Jacques had a tough time making the announcement.  Reports indicate that he spoke with his coaches, with team management, but not (yet) with the players.  The team has reacted with shock, but it might not be such a surprise if anyone remembers his experience with Minnesota. Lemaire admitted that he was losing energy towards the end of the season there and had been considering retirement. Returning to the bench in New Jersey was probably an unexpected decision, based on all of his close personal attachments with the New Jersey organization.

This decision mirrors another situation last year, when Devils coach Brent Sutter announced his retirement - only to decide to become head coach of the Calgary Flames a month later.  But Sutter is different, younger, and has deep attachments to the Calgary organization, and to the province in which he was born (and the Sutter family still resides).  

The Devils have had five coaches in five years.  Lou Lamoriello seems attracted to former players who have long experience behind NHL benches. But there is a trend emerging in the NHL, and possibly all of sports. Skippers tend to be younger these days.  The epitome may be Dan Bylsma, who came to the Pittsburgh Penguins from the AHL in mid-season and led them to a Stanley Cup victory.

That's where Lamoriello should be looking now.  Somebody younger.   The young age of the players may make it easier for them to relate.  The age of Scotty Bowmans and Mike Keenans may be drawing to a close. Mike Babcock, the successful coach of the Detroit Red Wings and Team Canada, was BORN the year that Jacques Lemaire started playing junior hockey.

Compare Babcock with Lemaire. The Red Wings coach has been behind Detroit's bench for five years.   Before that it was with the Mighty Ducks (four years, two in the AHL and two in the NHL). Before that , with the WHL Spokane Chiefs (six seasons) and before that, the Moose Jaw Warriors (2 years). Before he became a coach, Babcock played hockey for McGill University, two minor league teams and one English league team.  His playing career probably spanned 6 or 7 years total. Along the way, he earned degrees in physical education and sports psychology. The short story is that Babcock and Bylsma are cut from a different mold than Lemaire, Keenan, Bowman and others.  

Jacques deserves the thanks of every fan in New Jersey, Minnesota and Montreal for his amazing contributions to this sport.  And he is entitled to a well-deserved life after hockey.  No doubt he will remain involved in some way.  But the daily grind of 82 games, road travel, and unending work (in the extended playoff season) came to an end in Newark on April 26, 2010

To Jacques, the Hockey Tattler says, "Merci beaucoup, bonne chance et a bientot".  That translates as "Thanks, good luck, see you around and don't be a stranger".

Hockey Rules!

P.S. Canadien magic was out tonight. With 53 saves in one night, Jaroslav Halak backstopped Montreal to a 4-1 victory tonight over the Presidents Trophy winner, the Washington Capitals.  The #8 seed, down 3 games to 1, has forced a game seven.  Wednesday night in Washington, the Canadiens will invade. Brian Gionta and Scott Gomez, ex-Devils, will have their chance.  Will Ovi and Backstrom answer?  It is the only contest left in the East, now that Boston had advanced over Buffalo.  The outcome of the 1 vs 8 quarterfinal will determine who plays who in the Eastern semis.