Maple Leafs hire Jacques Lemaire as special assignment coach

Mike Babcock the Canadian professional ice hockey head coach said in a statement, “Obviously Jacques Lemaire has a wealth of experience”. The Leafs have picked up Lemaire for the same position he held in New Jersey – special assignment coach.

The 69-year-old Lemaire joins coach Mike Babcock’s staff, along with assistants D.J. Smith, Jim Hiller and Andrew Brewer and goaltending coach Steve Briere. He also was part of Team Canada’s Olympic gold medal winning coaching staff in Vancouver. Lemaire has the former by the tons, and between his playing and executive/coach days he has 11 Stanley Cups.

“It’s hard to say exactly”. Lemaire had just wrapped up his playing career, which ended with a stint in Switzerland as a player-coach, and was earning a comparative pittance as an assistant coach with Plattsburgh State College. Babcock said in a Leafs press release. He has coached over 1,200 games with the Montreal Canadiens, Devils and Minnesota Wild organizations. Lemaire is the latest of more than 20 Leafs hires in all departments since the end of last season, the ninth time in 10 seasons they missed the playoffs.

Now Toronto has him. “I haven’t had the chance to talk to the new people [with the Devils]”.

Lemaire was also a trusted advisor for Lamoriello when making trades. Now, there’s no more Lou Lamoriello.

Lamoriello shrugged off his critics, sometimes calling the trap “a puck retrieval system”, but there was no arguing its results during the Devils’ long run as contenders.

Lemaire, who will turn 70 on September 7, said he has spoken about potential jobs with “a couple teams so far” since Lamoriello left the Devils to become the Maple Leafs general manager July 23. He has ties to both the new coach and the new general manager.