Fantasy Impact: The New Jersey Devils have fired head coach Peter DeBoer.
The Devils get: A new head coach. DeBoer's three-and-a-half year stint was actually a rather long one for New Jersey and impetuous GM Lou Lamoriello who has now fired coaches on December 23 and December 26 in his career. What a Grinch.
Lamoriello did not name a replacement and will not comment further until tomorrow:
“I will confirm that there will be a coaching change,” Lamoriello said Friday afternoon. “But there will be no further comment or anything said until tomorrow morning.
Poor timing aside, it was probably time to move on from DeBoer, a coach who has only made the playoffs once in six NHL seasons. He did bring the Devils to the Stanley Cup Final in that lone playoff appearance but it was clear that DeBoer wouldn't be taking this team back to the post-season.
2 Days Rest – 14 Starts – 2.31 GAA – 0.919 Save Percentage
3 or More Days Rest – Three Starts – 2.39 GAA – 0.922 Save Percentage
DeBoer had started to use backup Keith Kinkaid more frequently with some positive results but it was seemingly too little, too late.
The Devils will probably improve under the new head coach. Mike Cammalleri, their leading goal scorer (in just 24 games) returned to the lineup just before the Christmas break. He should help boost an offense sitting near the bottom of the league. With a little boost in offense and some elevated play in goal, the Devils could play .500 hockey the rest of the way.
Who knows who the new head coach will favour for big minutes but you have to figure it will be more of the same. Patrik Elias, Jagr and Cammalleri should be the big guns up front.
You also have to hope that the new coach won't mess with the one functional aspect of the team: the power play. The Devils power play sits top-10 in efficiency and has been the lone source of consistent offense. How dreadful would they be without that power play? There has been no word about sweeping changes to the coaching staff so you can imagine that the special teams assistant will remain in place to help ease the transition to a new coach.
It will be as much coincidence as a result of the change but you should expect more from your Devils in the second half.
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