Todd Cordell: The New Jersey Devils may not have hired the coach they wanted

The rumor was Lavy wanted 5 years at $5M. I have no idea if that is accurate.
From what I can find NHL coaching salaries range from $1M to $5.25 a year. The top guy listed in Quenneville; but lots of salaries are undisclosed.

https://www.capfriendly.com/coaches

Lavy's ask is high end but not crazy. That said, if I was going to drop that kind of money on a coach, Lavy isn't the guy I'd want. So I'm not upset ownership balked.

I assume Ruff was reasonable in cost and for the short term it's not a bad business decision; although not an inspiring hockey decision.

If the Devils were to drop that alleged money on a coach, I'd hope that coach would have won cups before, like a Joel Quenneville. Lav never won so moving on is a good thing.

Boston Globe was reporting that it wasn't planned for Ruff to be a long term option, which makes sense why devils had an issue with the term Lav was asking for because it probably wasn't the plan to keep him long term behind the bench either. They are probably expecting Kowalsky to step up sooner than later so why commit 5 years to Lav.

My thoughts on this are pretty simple, Fitz liked Ruff more than Lavy and thought we could get same results over next 3 seasons while paying a lower salary. Not a bad decision, in my opinion.

Hopefully Fitz is able to transform the team this offseason and we get some new horses. Keep hearing about Cap-strapped teams and potential high-end trade targets. Imagine we bring in Boeser AND Johnny Hockey in a single offseason? Put them together with our young core and that would be amazing! Just a pipe dream, but we have months to ponder... haha

Totally dodged a bullet. His teams haven't won anything and it's not like he hasn't had good teams to work with. Plus, no doubt he's a straight-up dbag. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LmW6Q9Wtg4

If the Devils were to drop that alleged money on a coach, I'd hope that coach would have won cups before, like a Joel Quenneville. Lav never won so moving on is a good thing.
- Leniwm1

........Um yes he has.

Laviolette won in 2006.

If the Devils were to drop that alleged money on a coach, I'd hope that coach would have won cups before, like a Joel Quenneville. Lav never won so moving on is a good thing.
- Leniwm1

??? Lavy has won a cup... lol

You're giving Devils fans a bad name by not knowing recent history.

What a poopshow this team has become. Our owners (frank)ing suck.

Money money money

??? Lavy has won a cup... lol
- vlongo4419

Oh I forgot about the Canes! See i dont really care.

Well he hasnt won two cups.

Laviolette won in 2006.
- rmdevil313

It doesn't really count if the team is south of the Mason Dixon line.



And (frank) the Canes.

It doesn't really count if the team is south of the Mason Dixon line.



And (frank) the Canes & Bingo.
- Queenie_5_hole

Fixed

What a poopshow this team has become. Our owners (frank)ing suck.
- Pomegrant

Yup

It doesn't really count if the team is south of the Mason Dixon line.



And (frank) the Canes.
- Queenie_5_hole

Move them back

Who is the most punishing, physical, intimidating defenseman in the NHL right now?

Whoever that is, we need to get him.
Devils are still too soft in my opinion.

It doesn't really count if the team is south of the Mason Dixon line.
- Queenie_5_hole

I used to think the same thing then the army sent me to Ft Campbell ... now i wouldn't move North of it.

We were lied to, I promise. This area is way better than anything on the East coast or Midwest.

Who is the most punishing, physical, intimidating defenseman in the NHL right now?

Whoever that is, we need to get him.
Devils are still too soft in my opinion.
- Jazzmaster30

Weber?

Who is the most punishing, physical, intimidating defenseman in the NHL right now?

Whoever that is, we need to get him.
Devils are still too soft in my opinion.
- Jazzmaster30

Zadarov

I generally agree with you Todd, but passing on someone cause of not being able to work out a deal isn't a bad look if what he wanted wasn't reasonable, and from all accounts, what Lavy wanted simply wasn't reasonable.

I used to think the same thing then the army sent me to Ft Campbell ... now i wouldn't move North of it.

We were lied to, I promise. This area is way better than anything on the East coast or Midwest.
- farooge

I've been to every state except North Dakota and while there is a lot of good stuff all over, I definitely love the South. I just meant for hockey, the Mason-Dixon was a good boundary. Sort of like how we can't get crawfish and hush puppies up here, you can't have the Stanley Cup down there....

Obviously not actually true in either case.

Yup
- shvingter88

We should’ve known when their first moves were to get rid of the Devils Dancers and our goal song.

Who is the most punishing, physical, intimidating defenseman in the NHL right now?

Whoever that is, we need to get him.
Devils are still too soft in my opinion.
- Jazzmaster30

Dakota Mermis