Jacques Lemaire joins Maple Leafs, follows buddy Lou Lamoriello
Perhaps inspired by the landfills located around the New Jersey Turnpike, Lou Lamoriello was always into recycling.
Former New Jersey Devils would frequently become current New Jersey Devils again during Lou’s decades as general manager, whether it was players (Scott Gomez, etc.) or, more specifically, coaches.
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Jacques Lemaire, for example, had three stints as Devils head coach and remained with the team as a “special assignments coach” for the last few seasons. Basically, he visited the Devils when they were near his home in Florida and hit up training camp. But he was also a trusted advisor to Lou Lamoriello, offering his sage advice during the season.
After Lamoriello left New Jersey for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Lemaire had yet to decide on his status for next season. On Friday, the Leafs announced the seemingly inevitable: Lamoriello imported a Devils retread to the Leafs, as the 70-year-old Lemaire will now be a special assignments coach for the Toronto brain trust.
Tom Gulitti of the Bergen Record spoke with Lemaire this week about the potential reunion:
Lemaire also has a relationship with new Maple Leafs head coach Mike Babcock, having served as one of his assistants on the 2010 Canadian Olympic team. In fact, Lemaire was one of the people Babcock asked about Lamoriello after Lamoriello got the job in Toronto. (Babcock also spoke to former Devils coach/current San Jose Jose Pete DeBoer.)
When asked if it would be strange to work for the Maple Leafs after spending his entire Hall of Fame playing career with the rival Canadiens, Lemaire started laughing.
“I’ve been away so long that the only guy that is still involved there that I know well is (Canadiens head coach) Mike Therrien and (assistant coach) J.J. Daigneault, who I coached,” Lemaire said. “But, besides that. (GM) Marc (Bergevin) looks like a real nice guy, but I never really knew him before. I knew him because he was involved with Chicago and as a player, but not personally.”
The Leafs are a team that needs an infusion of class and success. Lemaire has the former by the tons, and between his playing and executive/coach days he has 11 Stanley Cups. Once again, it should be said that Brendan Shanahan has built one hell of a think tank in Toronto. Lemaire just adds to it.
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