Devils hire Lemaire to coach team for second stint
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Jacques Lemaire, who led the New Jersey Devils to their first Stanley Cup in 1995, has returned as their head coach, the NHL team said on Monday.
The 63-year-old Lemaire has coached the Minnesota Wild the past nine seasons. He replaces Brent Sutter, who resigned after two seasons last month and is now the head coach of the Calgary Flames.
"Jacques Lemaire is one of the most respected coaches in the game," Devils general manager Lou Lamoriello said in a statement on the team's website (devils.nhl.com).
"He is a teacher and a communicator, and knows what it takes to have success."
Lemaire coached the Devils for five seasons from 1993-94 through 1997-98, compiling a 199-122-57 record in regular-season play. His 378 games, 199 wins, 56 post-season games and 34 post-season victories are tops for the franchise.
In addition to the 1995 Stanley Cup, he led the Devils to three other post-season appearances including the Eastern Conference's top record in 1997 and 1998.
At Minnesota, he posted a 293-255-108 record and led the Wild to the Western Conference finals in 2003. He resigned after the 2009 season in which he went 40-33-9.
The Devils also announced Mario Tremblay, an assistant under Lemaire for nine seasons in Minnesota, had joined the team as an assistant coach.
(Reporting by Gene Cherry in Raleigh, North Carolina; Editing by Sonia Oxley; To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)
