Devils fire their coach

[JfromJersey]

Go figure that one out. I respect Lamoriello's ability as a GM and coach, but this is the 2nd time he's done this with his HC, and it's very strange. If he can't find a HC he likes, just stay behind the damn bench.

[njdhockey]

Wow, just wow, crazy news. I wasn't a fan of Julien but wow, I did not see this coming. I figured if he was going to get fired it would have happened already. I think Lou beat out his record for a late season coaching change lol. I like the fact that Lou will behind the bench to light a fire under the players. I also trust Johnny Mac so I think this is a good move. Hopefully 2000 repeats itself all over again!

[dabomb2045]

Get fired during a 102 point season?? Yikes

[jimmyclark]

It sounds crazy to this non-hockey fan but Lamoriello has the rings to give him the benefit of the doubt.

[ALR83]

I'm just confused. I don't understand at all.

[Boogiedown Bomber]

Maybe Julien couldn't fill the seats at the CAA...oh wait, they can't do even when they win the Stanley Cup. I just don't get it!

[Nick71]

Maybe Julien couldn't fill the seats at the CAA...oh wait, they can't do even when they win the Stanley Cup. I just don't get it!

How original.

Julien's defensive system was too restrictive. He had conflicts with Johnny Mac about the offense. The team had not been playing well for the past month or two. A fire needed to be lit.

Apparently Julien also did not want to insert Matvichuk back into the lineup, while Lou wanted him back in.

[Boogiedown Bomber]

How original.

I guess you didn't find that funny. Well, there goes my career as a comedian.

[njdhockey]

How original.

Julien's defensive system was too restrictive. He had conflicts with Johnny Mac about the offense. The team had not been playing well for the past month or two. A fire needed to be lit.

Apparently Julien also did not want to insert Matvichuk back into the lineup, while Lou wanted him back in.

Exactly. Also, Julien showed no emotion at all, no matter what was going on. He didn't seem to be a leader, and the players seemed to take advantage of that. They needed a fire to be lit, and with Lou behind the bench it definitly will be. Julien also did not believe in using the 4th line, and I am sure Johnny Mac will, just as he did last year when Lou took over. I also trust Johnny Mac's ability of rolling the lines out there and making sure the matchups are correct, something that Julien struggled with. This is definitly a good move for the Devils going into the playoffs.

[CanoForPresident]

Exactly. Also, Julien showed no emotion at all, no matter what was going on. He didn't seem to be a leader, and the players seemed to take advantage of that. They needed a fire to be lit, and with Lou behind the bench it definitly will be. Julien also did not believe in using the 4th line, and I am sure Johnny Mac will, just as he did last year when Lou took over. I also trust Johnny Mac's ability of rolling the lines out there and making sure the matchups are correct, something that Julien struggled with. This is definitly a good move for the Devils going into the playoffs.

I hate Lou with a passion but this move has worked once for the Devils so I can't blame him for doing it again.

With that said, I really hope the Devs get bounced in the first round.

[montrealer]

If Lou gets bounced in the 1st round ....does he fire himself for being an Idiot?

[njdhockey]

If Lou gets bounced in the 1st round ....does he fire himself for being an Idiot?

I think Lou is one of the best GM's in pro sports and I agree with this move, I wanted Julien fired for quite some time. However, if this move does not work out, I won't kill him. He has done so many good things for the Devils organizaiton that he is entitled to some free passes.

[dabomb2045]

So let me get this straight....firing a coach for leading a team to a 102 point season is acceptable??

Wow

[njdhockey]

So let me get this straight....firing a coach for leading a team to a 102 point season is acceptable??

Wow

Don't let the stats fool you. Sure on paper, the Devils looked like a great team, ready for the playoffs. But something just didn't seem right all season. I am not saying the will to win wasn't there, it just seemed obvious that the players did not like Julien. There were reports of him rushing players like Gomez and Gionta back from injuries and having them re-injure themselves. Julien also hardly let the 4th line play, limiting them to 2-4 minutes a game, which really took its toll on the rest of the forwards. He never seemed like the right fit for this team from the first game. I've been waiting for this to happen all year and I am glad it did. This team was nowhere near ready for the playoffs with Julien in charge.

With Lou behind the bench, the assistant coaches will take over and Lou will simply be there to light some fire under these guys, and hold them accountable, something that Julien had failed to do all year. Lou has historically done whatever it takes, no matter how crazy it may be, to make sure that he puts the team in the best possible position to win the Cup. This is a great move for the team. Julien was probably going to be a goner in the offseason anyway.

[hardrain]

I really thought this was a belated April Fool's joke

[njdhockey]

I really thought this was a belated April Fool's joke

Same here, I was caught off guard at first. I figured that Julien would have been fired during the previous weeks of struggle.

[montrealer]

I think Lou is one of the best GM's in pro sports and I agree with this move, I wanted Julien fired for quite some time. However, if this move does not work out, I won't kill him. He has done so many good things for the Devils organizaiton that he is entitled to some free passes.

Your opinion is duly noted.........but it doesn`t make him less of an Idiot in my opinion. Having this done 2 previous times will make it harder to hire coaches.
This team can`t put butts in the seats no matter what their record is and something is beginning so smell rotten with this organization.

[ALR83]

With Lou behind the bench, the assistant coaches will take over and Lou will simply be there to light some fire under these guys, and hold them accountable, something that Julien had failed to do all year. Lou has historically done whatever it takes, no matter how crazy it may be, to make sure that he puts the team in the best possible position to win the Cup.

Which is exactly why, even though I'm still shaking my head at this, there is always a method to his madness and it somehow always works. And this probably will too.

[njdhockey]

Which is exactly why, even though I'm still shaking my head at this, there is always a method to his madness and it somehow always works. And this probably will too.

On a Devils forum I belong too someone posted a poll on whether or not you agreed with Lou's decesion. One of the options was In Lou's Insanity We Trust as opposed to In Lou We Trust lol.

I feel like I am getting used to this constant coaching circus, not even talking about how Lou took over for 2 years in a row', but it seems like he has always fired a coach relatively quick. (Ftorek, Robinson, Constantine)

[Nick71]

Your opinion is duly noted.........but it doesn`t make him less of an Idiot in my opinion. Having this done 2 previous times will make it harder to hire coaches.
This team can`t put butts in the seats no matter what their record is and something is beginning so smell rotten with this organization.

Um, what in god's name are you talking about?

You clearly don't understand the dynamics of being an NHL coach. There is hardly any job security. And when you're an unemployed coach, you will take whatever job presents itself to you. There isn't a cavalcade of teams pursuing your services - a jobless coach would be lucky to have one or two teams interested in him. This will have very little bearing in the future when NJ wants to hire a new coach.

And I also am annoyed by the notion that Lou should somehow weigh the idea that prospective coaches might be turned off by NJ because of this. You do what it takes to win. Letting an inane hyopthetical situation dictate your judgement would be stupid.

And what does NJ's attendance have to do with anything?

If Lou gets bounced in the 1st round ....does he fire himself for being an Idiot?

No...considering that they would have likely gotten bounced in the first round with the way they had been playing.

So let me get this straight....firing a coach for leading a team to a 102 point season is acceptable??

Wow

Yes.

[Nick71]

On a Devils forum I belong too someone posted a poll on whether or not you agreed with Lou's decesion. One of the options was In Lou's Insanity We Trust as opposed to In Lou We Trust lol.

I feel like I am getting used to this constant coaching circus, not even talking about how Lou took over for 2 years in a row', but it seems like he has always fired a coach relatively quick. (Ftorek, Robinson, Constantine)

Was this on njdevs.com? What's your member name? I'm Voros19.

[njdhockey]

Was this on njdevs.com? What's your member name? I'm Voros19.

I'm thefiestygoat there and at HF. Seems like we are on the same forums all the time!