Attempting to shore up one area in which they were beaten by the Penguins in the first round of the playoffs, the Devils yesterday rehired Canadiens Hall of Famer Larry Robinson to be co-coach under head coach Robbie Ftorek.
Now the coaching staff mirrors the team – a deep group of highly competent professionals that lacks a leading genius or star. Now Ftorek must overcome questions that will arise of whether the Devils would be better led by Robinson.
In his first season as Devils’ head coach, after serving under Jacques Lemaire as heir apparent, Ftorek guided the Devils to a 105-point, second-overall finish. Yet he suffered in comparison to Penguin coach Kevin Constantine in the seven-game playoff series. Yesterday, Ftorek graded himself harshly for his playoff performance.
“Terrible, but that’s not why we’re here,” Ftorek said.
Robinson was fired as head coach by the LA Kings last month after they missed the playoffs, ending four seasons there, where he went 122-161-45. The 47-year-old former defenseman, who spent two seasons as Lemaire’s assistant coach with New Jersey, said he has agreed to a three-year coaching deal, which will be followed by two years of consulting duties.
Robinson said he may want to be a head coach again some day, but made it clear that he is not waiting in the wings for Ftorek to be fired.
“I’m not coming here trying to take anybody’s job,” Robinson said. “Robbie is the boss. I have no ego, trying to take someone’s job.”
GM Lou Lamoriello insisted that the Devils’ fourth straight season-ending disaster was not the reason Robinson was brought back.
“This has nothing to do with the playoffs,” he said. “Any time you have someone like Larry Robinson who you can add to your organization, and bring his experience, and also has knowledge of the organization, you take advantage of it.”