Is it time for Lou to get his walking papers

[apice3*]

i'm not saying i want lou fired. in fact i don't, because i very much so believe he is capable of building this team up again. the only reason i would want him gone is if he made it clear he is unwilling to do what is best for the team, which in my opinion happens to involve selling off a good deal of the older guard that aren't getting it done here.

your opinion on what is best for the team can differ, and that is fine, but you have to look at it this way. lou is ultimately the policy maker for a company here. regardless of what he has done for the company before this point, if he is not working for the best interest of the company anymore, the company needs to move on from him.

basically it comes down to two things. do you think lou is capable of turning it around, and if not are you willing to be a losing team for however much longer he wants to run it. i personally think lou is capable of building the team up again, as i already said, and would like to give him the chance to do it. however if he continues to make decisions like some of the decisions he has made in the past year, he will only be proving that he isn't going to turn it around, and if that becomes the case and i were the owners of the team, i would not be willing to allow my organization to suffer simply to reward someone who isn't getting it done anymore.

again, i don't want lou gone, i believe he can get the job done, but at the same time loyalty only counts for so much and lou is going to be approaching that point within a year if he doesn't start to make moves to change what clearly isn't working.

I'm telling you and everyone else right now that if the first major decision by Harris and company is to fire Lou Lamoriello, this team won't be worth watching anymore.

You think the goal song thing is a big deal? Forget that. Harris will appoint a president and GM that he knows rather than someone that has the team's best interests in minds.

I did a lot of reading about this ownership and I warned people at the time of the deal that it'll be nice to have huge pockets, but it's useless if they aren't put to use correctly. 76ers fans pretty much unanimously hate these guys.

You watch in the coming years that this team is going to go from being a small market, family type of business to a mindless drone run corporation that has no interest in the actual games but rather their image and their money.

As of right now this team is still being run by Lamoriello and I have a good feeling that he is eventually (not necessarily this year or next) going to appoint either his son or someone else an assistant GM or a GM in training to take the team over when he's ready to retire. If that doesn't happen and Lou is abruptly fired, well have fun watching this once storied franchise take a tailspin down the toilet. It's happened with several major and successful sports franchises before and we won't be an exception. We don't have to worry about moving like the Islanders did because we have a brand new building, but the years of futility would be practically imminent. As we stand right now, Lou Lamoriello is the only thing that is stopping that from happening.

 

[NJDevs26]

Lou hasn't gotten into Al Davis 2000's territory yet...but I do wonder about the new owners. They've already shown they don't give a crap about what the fans think, they're not going to keep Lou because they'd fear the inevitable backlash.

As far as people not respecting the new owners that's fine...Jerry Jones was getting death threats when he dismissed Tom Landry. Ironically bringing in Jimmy Johnson was one of the few good things Jones has done as the Owner/GM.

There's no Jimmy Johnson available though. And I don't think Brian Burke would want to take over for his mentor if Lou was forced out anyway.

 

[captainscott]

I'm telling you and everyone else right now that if the first major decision by Harris and company is to fire Lou Lamoriello, this team won't be worth watching anymore.

You think the goal song thing is a big deal? Forget that. Harris will appoint a president and GM that he knows rather than someone that has the team's best interests in minds.

I did a lot of reading about this ownership and I warned people at the time of the deal that it'll be nice to have huge pockets, but it's useless if they aren't put to use correctly. 76ers fans pretty much unanimously hate these guys.

You watch in the coming years that this team is going to go from being a small market, family type of business to a mindless drone run corporation that has no interest in the actual games but rather their image and their money.

As of right now this team is still being run by Lamoriello and I have a good feeling that he is eventually (not necessarily this year or next) going to appoint either his son or someone else an assistant GM or a GM in training to take the team over when he's ready to retire. If that doesn't happen and Lou is abruptly fired, well have fun watching this once storied franchise take a tailspin down the toilet. It's happened with several major and successful sports franchises before and we won't be an exception. We don't have to worry about moving like the Islanders did because we have a brand new building, but the years of futility would be practically imminent. As we stand right now, Lou Lamoriello is the only thing that is stopping that from happening.

Well if they wanna make money then had better win. People will not go to Newark to watch a bad hockey team. I will give them a chance.

 

[billingtons ghost]

lol at this thread.

Get down off of your ledges, folks. It's game 15.

 

[Marv4Life]

Let's fire the fans. A few losses & they stop showing up? Sad

It happens in most places. And it isn't just a few losses; it's been going on for a while now.

You don't need a Lamoriello to be competitive in this league. What has he done in recent years that warrants his stay at 71-years old? Don't give me the Cup run either; not like we won the thing.

 

[ThePSEGPowerPoster]

It happens in most places. And it isn't just a few losses; it's been going on for a while now.

You don't need a Lamoriello to be competitive in this league. What has he done in recent years that warrants his stay at 71-years old? Don't give me the Cup run either; not like we won the thing.

That mentality - the "what have you done for me lately where's my Stanley Cup" mentality - that is precisely what Lou has done to warrant his job security. For 20 years he oversaw the most consistent franchise in the NHL. The downfall? He ushered in a new generation of spoiled Devils fans who expect nothing short of playoff runs every single season.

If Lou did what he did here in Toronto he would be a God.

 

[billingtons ghost]

The fact is:

This team needs a transplant of its core players. It needs youngsters to come up and develop within the organization and become lifers, so that Elias and Brodeur can step aside. Sal, Volch, Zids, Zubes are all the past.

Zajac, Henrique, Greene, <Clarkson>, <Kovy>, <Parise>, Fayne, Schneider are supposed to be the present.

Larsson, Gelinas, Tedi, Josefsson, Lokti, Merrill and Boucher are supposed to be the future.

Ryder, Brunner, Jagr, Clowe are supposed to bolster the present. They are nice add-on parts but just mercenaries and not your core.

The 4th line shouldn't be in the conversation, except for maybe Bernier as part of the present.

This team is going to suck for a bit, and it is going to hurt until/unless:
The 'present' core guys step up.
The 'future' core guys come into their own.

I don't think Lou has us on a bad path - it's just transition. It would be nice if Lou changes some of that aging core and some of the add-ons into potential future core pieces - at the deadline.

 

[Marv4Life]

That mentality - the "what have you done for me lately where's my Stanley Cup" mentality - that is precisely what Lou has done to warrant his job security. For 20 years he oversaw the most consistent franchise in the NHL. The downfall? He ushered in a new generation of spoiled Devils fans who expect nothing short of playoff runs every single season.

If Lou did what he did here in Toronto he would be a God.

Spoiled? If this was the mid 2000s then I could buy the "spoiled" excuse but not when they're on the verge of missing the PO 3 out of the last 4 years. Not when he's a part of why the off-the-ice issues are STILL a problem for this organization. And not when they're playing in an almost half-empty arena on a frequent basis. Because it's gonna happen if they don't get their act together.

 

[ThePSEGPowerPoster]

Spoiled? If this was the mid 2000s then I could buy the "spoiled" excuse but not when they're on the verge of missing the PO 3 out of the last 4 years. Not when he's a part of why the off-the-ice issues are STILL a problem for this organization. And not when they're playing in an almost half-empty arena on a frequent basis. Because it's gonna happen if they don't get their act together.

Every franchise in professional sports would sign up for: 5 Conference Championships, 3 Stanley Cups, 9 Division Championships, 21 playoff appearances in 25 years. Every. Single. Franchise.

The very fact that you're willing to fire a guy who has done all that, that sense of entitlement, is the very reason he shouldn't be fired. HE was the one who gave you that sense of entitlement, that expectation of excellence year in and year out.

 

[billingtons ghost]

Spoiled? If this was the mid 2000s then I could buy the "spoiled" excuse but not when they're on the verge of missing the PO 3 out of the last 4 years. Not when he's a part of why the off-the-ice issues are STILL a problem for this organization. And not when they're playing in an almost half-empty arena on a frequent basis. Because it's gonna happen if they don't get their act together.

Seriously - I haven't seen an Isles fan since 1986, I think - and now they make the playoffs ONCE, and it's like John Tavares is Jesus.

It isn't like the Isles haven't sucked year after year, or haven't had high draft picks that they should have rebuilt their core with...

I think the expectations bar is set way way way high with this Devils club.

 

[Rhodes 81]

I don't think Lou has us on a bad path - it's just transition. It would be nice if Lou changes some of that aging core and some of the add-ons into potential future core pieces - at the deadline.

i agree with your whole post, and this part in particular. this is what hinges it for me, whether lou sells off the dead weight at the deadline, or whether he keeps the zidlickys and zubruses of the team. as much as some of us love those guys, they aren't part of the future but we can certainly trade them for pieces that could be. i have faith that lou can do that and i expect him to. it's only if he doesn't, only if he makes more moves like last season bringing in sullivan, dags, and poni, that i will begin to wonder if he is the right man for the job anymore.

 

[ghoti]

Still no.

 

[ThePSEGPowerPoster]

Still no.

Is there ever going to be a (realistic) scenario where this answer is "yes"? I mean all things considered. Not just on-ice product here. Is there any conceivable scenario where anyone would be willing to bet that Lou is going to get canned?

I guess you can discuss if he deserves to be fired all you want but to me it's like talking about a contingency plan for when the sun doesn't rise in the morning. It's just not foreseeable that any of that happens.

 

[glenwo2]

Lou hasn't gotten into Al Davis 2000's territory yet...but I do wonder about the new owners. They've already shown they don't give a crap about what the fans think, they're not going to keep Lou because they'd fear the inevitable backlash.

You mean "they're not going to FIRE Lou because they'd fear the inevitable backlash", right?

 

[sbresistor]

Is there ever going to be a (realistic) scenario where this answer is "yes"? I mean all things considered. Not just on-ice product here. Is there any conceivable scenario where anyone would be willing to bet that Lou is going to get canned?

I guess you can discuss if he deserves to be fired all you want but to me it's like talking about a contingency plan for when the sun doesn't rise in the morning. It's just not foreseeable that any of that happens.

you never know with ownership change uncertainty - they actually had to answer media questions if Lou would remain GM

if there are any *******s that would can him though, these owners appear to be the *******s that could

I still think it never happens

 

[Marv4Life]

These are the same people who cleaned house with the 76ers. It wouldn't be shocking no matter how they talk about Lou's special sauce.

 

[billingtons ghost]

i agree with your whole post, and this part in particular. this is what hinges it for me, whether lou sells off the dead weight at the deadline, or whether he keeps the zidlickys and zubruses of the team. as much as some of us love those guys, they aren't part of the future but we can certainly trade them for pieces that could be. i have faith that lou can do that and i expect him to. it's only if he doesn't, only if he makes more moves like last season bringing in sullivan, dags, and poni, that i will begin to wonder if he is the right man for the job anymore.

right. If he believes that adding complimentary guys is the answer, we are in trouble. I understand him wagering on a Dags - but of the FAs he brought in this year and last year, only Brunner has the potential to be a long-term core guy.

It's really all about letting the young guys being in a supporting spot until they are ready to step up and be THE guy.

Fayne is a good example of how to handle a young guy out of the chute. With Lemaire and early PDB, we just asked him to be a 6th Dman and he flourished.

If JJ, Lokti, Tedi, Gelinas and Merrill are allowed to get some CONSISTENT minutes purely as 3rd pairing/3rd line guys, they might develop and ultimately be core guys.

If they get thrown to the wolves or benched in favor of some waiver wire junk, then we forestall our turnaround for a few years.

 

[NJDevs26]

You mean "they're not going to FIRE Lou because they'd fear the inevitable backlash", right?

No. My point was if ownership was keeping him it's because they believe he's still the best option...but because of how they've acted in other areas ownership is not going to keep Lou because they're worried about backlash. They've already proven they aren't.

 

[glenwo2]

No. My point was if ownership was keeping him it's because they believe he's still the best option...but because of how they've acted in other areas ownership is not going to keep Lou because they're worried about backlash. They've already proven they aren't.

I'm still confused here.

What sort of "backlash" would they be expecting from the fanbase if they KEPT Lou on as GM?

 

[DEVILS ALL THE WAY*]

Lou Lamoriello took this team from a laughing stock in the 80's to a team that was a lock for the playoffs for 20 years. Missing the playoffs 2 out of 3 years (with the one year being a SCF berth) following 18 years of being a championship caliber team is not grounds for firing. This organization is not going to fire him. He's earned a life time contract. The fact that people are so eager to get rid of the guy is absolutely pathetic as a fan base and it's why Devils fans have quickly transitioned from being one of the most knowledgeable fan bases to being a fan base full of whining babies.

And no one is knocking him for what he's done to this franchise but when you look at his "report card" since the 2nd lockout, it's been nothing short of mediocre and I don't know how anyone can defend that.

We've signed players that put our team in cap hell, heck, we even had to dress 3 lines just cause we couldn't get under the cap for like 14 straight days. The decision to sign over the hill players on LTC, just to replace the pending UFA's we were losing is another thing that grinds my gears but to offer each and everyone of those guys a ****ing NMC/NTC is just absurd. The Kovy "saga" is another stain on his track record and the fact that we didn't forfeit that ****ing pick after going on our magical cup run is the ultimate laugher.

Lou is the main reason why I became a Devils fan cause of the team he gave us 20 years ago, but as of today, we are light years away from those teams. We had the proper balance threw our entire lineup but as of now, we're icing a patching job and there's no real foundation to our roster. Times have changed and our Gm hasn't.

Certain things such as not talking to pending UFA's during the season is a dinosaur mentality that doesn't do us any good. If we actually had a vibe of what a player wants in terms of contract, we can either cut bait at the deadline and get something back for a player we have no intention on offering him the deal he's looking for. With the way we've been drafting as of late, we need to maximise our return on pending UFA's and let's not act like we're gangbusters and think that keeping one or two pending UFA's will be the difference between a 1st round exit and a SCF appearance.

In regards to our pending UFA, I would rather take a step backward and two forward instead of staying status quo and taking two step backwards when all is said and done, with the hopes of making the postseason... something Lou has never done since running the team. We were able to survice the departure of several key pieces cause we had THE BEST netminder to ever play the game between the pipes in about 85% of our games. We don't have that guy anymore so you need to readjust and change your game plan with what you have at your disposal but I doubt Lou will drastacly change his way of doing things out of the blue and that's why I don't have the same faith as some of you do when talking about the future of this team.

 

[Rhodes 81]

I'm still confused here.

What sort of "backlash" would they be expecting from the fanbase if they KEPT Lou on as GM?

He's saying they aren't going to keep just Lou because they fear the backlash of firing Lou. If they decide they want to fire Lou, they'll do it and not care what the fans think.

 

[NJDevs26]

He's saying they aren't going to keep just Lou because they fear the backlash of firing Lou. If they decide they want to fire Lou, they'll do it and not care what the fans think.

Correct.

 

[NC107*]

I don't expect Lou to ever get fired.

Management and ownership will talk with Lou, if they are so inclined to get rid of him, and come up with a financial package and acceptable excuse, health, for him to step down. They may even offer his son a new position AGM for the NJ Devils. They will have a party for him and big show and Lou will go out the hero along with the title of best GM ever. Life with the Devils will go on.

Here has been Lou's problem for a long time and it is brought on by his make up. He is a control l freak. It's his way or the highway. He put his son in as GM of Albany so he can control what happens in Albany. He gets coaches like DeBoer who only makes decision on when he should take a dump all other decision are with consultation and approval of Lou. Lou has his fingers on everything he can control. When he gets a coach like Claude Julian who has the team in first place but won't accept Lou's position on the player selections for a given game then Lou fires him.

Lou has done a lot of great things during his years with the Devils and he has equally done as many bad things (player selections and contracts). However his good moves cover up for his bad moves except the past couple of years. Example: he knew Kovy was leaving or thinking strongly about leaving at the start of the 2011/12 season but did nothing until it happened in July of 2013.

Lets see how this plays out. If Lou can get his son the Devils GM job then he can retire and run the organization from home.

IMO we have the wrong coaches, game strategy or system for the players we have and the we don't develop young players. Results we lose and lose again during the last couple of years.

 

[R8Devs]

dude i would be so upset if Chris becomes the GM. So many better options.

 

[NC107*]

lol at this thread.

Get down off of your ledges, folks. It's game 15.

Please open your eyes, yes 15 games this season but a continuation of last season. Neither is acceptable. Scoring has been an issue for the NJ Devils how many years? In consistency has been an issues for the NJ Devils for how many years. I say since 2005. The goaltending and defense has saved many a game during that 7 years spread and some luck with the shoot outs and that's not hockey that's entertainment to get the game over early.