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Devils Fire Claude Julien
by Alanah McGinley on 04/02/07 at 11:52 AM ET
Comments (10)
Breaking news via the AP,
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J.—The New Jersey Devils have fired coach Claude Julien.
Update 1:00 pm EDT:
Again, from AP via ESPN,
Claude Julien was fired as New Jersey Devils coach Monday and replaced by general manager Lou Lamoriello with a week to go in the regular season.
The firing comes after the Devils won four of their last five games. The team is in first place in the Atlantic Division with three games to go.
Julien guided the Devils to the second-best record in the Eastern Conference, posting a 47-24-8 mark in his only season as coach.
added 2:10pm, from Eric Duhatschek of the Globe and Mail,
The suspicion was that the majority of players believed Lamoriello was the controlling, behind-the-scenes influence anyway; that Julien had little actual input into the overall scheme of things; and this move was mostly about Lamoriello stepping out from behind the curtains and putting himself squarely on the firing line, as he is wont to do.
added 3:51pm, from the AP via the Santa Barbara News-Press,
‘I don’t think we’re at a point of being ready both mentally and (physically) to play the way that is necessary going into the playoffs,’’ Lamoriello said outside the Devils’ deserted locker room at the Continental Airlines Arena. ‘‘I am not saying that is going to change. But I think there has to be better focus going forward.’‘
The firing comes after the Devils won four of their last five games. The team is in first place in the Atlantic Division.
Julien, who was informed of his dismissal on Monday morning by Lamoriello, was not immediately available for comment.
‘‘He certainly understands,’’ said Lamoriello, who said his decision was not spur of the moment.
A practice scheduled for Monday was called off after Lamoriello discussed the move with the team.
Filed in: New Jersey Devils | KK Hockey | Permalink
Comments
Yeah, that was my reaction too. I thought it was still April Fool’s Day for a few minutes.
We’ll post more about it as soon as we know.
Posted by Alanah McGinley from British Columbia on 04/02/07 at 12:08 PM ET
Lou sensed one more opportunity at the Cup and wanted the credit??
Posted by snafu on 04/02/07 at 12:10 PM ET
Wow. I don’t closely follow the Devils, but don’t you usually fire coaches of sucky teams and not the last week of the regular season? Strange.
Posted by Christy on 04/02/07 at 12:34 PM ET
Is this some kind of April Fool’s joke that surface a day too late?? This is absolutely mind boggling!! What the h-e-double hockey sticks could have gone on to cause this?? I’m in complete shock!!
Posted by Mac from Canada on 04/02/07 at 12:38 PM ET
I think also that unless Lou goes public with a real good reason for firing the coach of a 1st place team this late in the year, that he can kiss goodbye any chance of hiring a front line, vetern coach in the future. Let’s not forget that this isn’t the first time Lou has pulled a move like this! Mind you the last time resulted in a Stanley Cup, but what coach in his right mind would take a job not knowing day to day if his job was safe even if you are first in your division with a handful of games left!
Posted by Mac from Canada on 04/02/07 at 12:51 PM ET
I agree with Mac. Why, if you are not going to have any control over the situation, even bother taking the job in the first place? I wonder why Lou didn’t just assume control openly from the beginning of the season, though—unless he wanted a scapegoat in case things went poorly, and stepped in himself to get the credit once the direction of the team was crystal clear.
(I don’t follow basketball, but my brother was talking about Pat Riley pulling something similar in Miami, I think it was last year?)
Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 04/02/07 at 01:18 PM ET
I was very shocked to read this. I sort of understood the deal with Ftorek, the team wasn’t playing well but what is up with this? I would echo the other posters who talk about Lou going for the power grab.
Posted by hockeychic on 04/02/07 at 01:48 PM ET
Lou does not have to worry about hiring a coach next year. John Maclean proabably should have been the coach this year and will certinely move up to it next year.
Lou knows this team has the potential to win it all. They have been dragging there asses around lately and still winning. He can’t stand by and watch a potential Cup go to waste.
In October he wants to raise the banner on the first night in the new stadium.
Posted by MartysBetter on 04/03/07 at 10:39 AM ET
Interesting. I guess we will get to see if it was the right decision in the end. Maybe the avalanche GM could take a hint from this. Francois Giguere are you listening?
Posted by itstime on 04/03/07 at 03:59 PM ET
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What ... in the bloody Hell?
Posted by Michael Turner from Columbus, OH on 04/02/07 at 12:05 PM ET