DEVILS 101

New Jersey Devils General Manager Lou Lamoriello anticipated that assistant coach Larry Robinson might move on when the longtime coach was undecided as to what to do with his future.

Lamoriello told tom Gulitti of the Bergen Record that Robinson would have been welcomed back to the organization. But Lamoriello also understood a move to California would put Robinson closer to his daughter and grandchildren.

Robinson also spoke to the Canadiens about a return to Montreal, but GM Marc Bergevin opted to go in a different direction. Robinson also spoke with GM Steve Yzerman in Tampa, a move that made sense because Robinson's off-season home has been in Florida.

“Larry was undecided about what he wanted to do, whether he wanted to retire, whether he wanted to just do it part time, whether he wanted to be a consultant like he did before," Lamoriello told Gulitti. "All of that was open.

“Montreal talked to him. Tampa Bay talked to him and then San Jose. I had no problem with what he wanted to do. Tampa Bay was close to his home and then the bottom line was with his family.

“His daughter (Rachelle) has been on L.A. now for a long time and they’ve got twins and the San Jose situation would put him in a place where he would be close to her. So, that’s where the decision came from and I supported it 100 percent. That’s what he wants to do. The relationship Larry and I have is impeccable, so everything was up front.”

Robinson joins Adam Oates as two members of coach Pete DeBoer's staff that have left the organization. Dave Barr and Chris Terreri remain.

“I think everything will work out,” Lamoriello told Gulitti. “Naturally, until we put the final ends of the staff together, there’s an unknown there, but I think we know the direction we’re going and we’ll go from there.”

Lamoriello would not speculate if Scott Stevens is ready for a more active role with the team. He has been a special assignment coach for two seasons.

 

 

Tags: Hockey, Larry Robinson, Lou Lamoriello, New Jersey, New Jersey Devils, NHL

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