Jacques Lemaire not returning as Wild coach

[Mike 0]

Jacques Lemaire is stepping down as coach of the Minnesota Wild after eight seasons behind the bench.

The 63-year-old coach, speaking after the Wild's season-ending 6-3 victory over Columbus on Saturday, was coy at first when asked about his future with the team.

Asked where he was on his decision, he grinned and said, "I'm in Columbus. Just finished the last game of the season."

But he later said he had decided he was done with the Wild.

"There comes a time when you know it's the right time to go. And I know this," he said.

Lemaire took over the expansion Wild when they joined the NHL in 2000-01. He has a career record of 538-415-176 in 14 seasons with Montreal, New Jersey and Minnesota, leading the Devils to the 1995 Stanley Cup title.

Lemaire was 291-256-107 with the Wild, including winning records in his last six seasons. The Wild barely missed the playoffs this year for Lemaire, who played in 145 Stanley Cup playoff games -- winning eight titles with Montreal -- and coached in 112.

"I had a great time here," he said. "I had eight great years."

Injuries hindered his last Wild team. Standout forward Marian Gaborik only played 17 games, returning just in time to carry the offense with 13 goals and 10 assists during the stretch run.

But defenseman Brett Burns missed the last 19 games and fellow blue-liner Nick Schultz also missed key games because of a head injury. Leading goal-scorer Owen Nolan has missed 23 games.

The Wild finished the season with a record of 40-33-9 for 89 points, and were tantalizingly close to making the playoffs.

"I was really pleased in a way, being this close of making the playoffs," Lemaire said after the victory over the Blue Jackets. "We tried a lot of players through the season. Some of them had great years, others not so good. In general, I think it was good for the whole team. The guys will learn from this."

Even though the club won 40 games or more for the third year in a row, it was a wildly erratic season. The victory over Columbus was the team's third in a row -- the first time it had won that many consecutive games since Nov. 13-18.

CBS Sports

[Datsyerberger 279]

This'll be good for both teams. GM wasn't capable of getting Lemaire the kind of players he uses (besides a couple of them) and Lemaire wasn't able to make the players he had play his system.

pl0x to hire for defensive coach, kthx.

[I Red Wings I 40]

They need a change, so does Phoenix

[YoungGuns1340 1]

Thank god for the state of Minnesota. I don't care what anyone says about Lemaire - his system is boring and overdone. Same thing for 9 years. Thank god thats over. Maybe we'll have some more interesting games against Minnesota now.

[puckbags 863]

Thank god for the state of Minnesota. I don't care what anyone says about Lemaire - his system is boring and overdone. Same thing for 9 years. Thank god thats over. Maybe we'll have some more interesting games against Minnesota now.

Pretty dedicated fans in Minny thought...they show up every night to watch that snooze fest !!

[dat's sick 1,002]

Maybe hire a coach that knows you can't win every game 1-0.

[xBrave_Heartx 0]

yay, less defensive snoozefest hockey in minnesota

[wings5gal 0]

Well, I am a bit sad to see him go. He's been with the team since the beginning, and with the injury obstacles and well, to be perfectly honest, some of the roster the Wild had this year, I think he's about the only one that could have taken the team as far as they went. They did finish just 2 points out of 8th place. Which was a lot further than many, including myself expected them to go.

And I will miss the Blackhawks and Kris Versteeg complaining about the trap. Since they can't beat it.

As for if hockey in MN will get more exciting...not really sure. The front runner is apparently the Aeros coach, Kevin Constantine...so if he becomes coach, I'd expect more of the same only maybe not as good.

Everyone one on the Wild boards, including myself is hoping Riseborough does do a thorough job of looking at new coaches and either promotes Ramsey or brings in someone from outside the organization since no one wants Constantine. But, well, it's DR....they guy can't trade a good player for more than a pick and even that he screws up.

But, as this is a JL thread...all I'll do is thank him for the 9 years and for the ride.

[Guest Four]

I hope Lemaire will replace Mcrimmon :/

[VM1138 1,921]

It struck me the last Wings-Wild game. One of the commentators was complimenting Lemaire and said "he realized that his defensive focus wins games."

To which I reply: "How often have the Wild done anything of note?"

Overdue.

[xBrave_Heartx 0]

I hope Lemaire will replace Mcrimmon :/

Declined.

[Krayzie_Bone 58]

I think he is a good coach. They just need to get him some players. Get a GM that knows what they are doing.

[Mike 0]

Minnesota had some firepower this season, but Lemaire still focused on that defensive, trap hockey system.

[wings5gal 0]

I think he is a good coach. They just need to get him some players. Get a GM that knows what they are doing.

Amen. I am a MN girl and a wild fan as well. And the trade deadline was horrible. I'm cringing at the thoughts of who will walk away for nothing come free agency. The guy can't trade anyone for a bag of pucks, and he can't pick worth a crap.

There's a quote I read somewhere by JL and I know I'll never be able to find it again, but it was criticism of Doug, and was along the lines of "This is what you get when you shop at Wal-mart instead of Macys."

[Detroit # 1 Fan 2,204]

I'd love to have Lemaire as strictly a defence coach, no one would ever be out of position in Jacques system. But I think he'll go to Montreal if for nothing else but he can speak french and that's all they care about.

[mjlegend 155]

Maybe I'm in the minority, but I love that they're boring and never win. I hope they bring up Kevin Constantine and have a hundred more 1-0 games.

[miller76 463]

You have to score goals to win games! Defense is a big part of the game, but it isn't all of it. Lemaire wasn't the problem I think. I think Doug Risbrough is the biggest problem. To much talent has left that organization for nothing in return!

[Namingway 146]

Oh wow. I heard Guy Carbonneau would like to coach the Wild next season if he gets the chance. Best of luck to him and the team if it ends up happening. I think it'd be the best choice for Minne.

[DraperFan MN 0]

I've said it many times, (on this board as well as other places), I would rather let paint dry on my eyeballs than watch an entire Minnesota Wild hockey game.

I've lived in the Twin Cities and watched as they have filled that building EVERY night during the season, and the ownership and D.R. continued to take advantage of the loyalty by continually icing an inferior product. Ridonkulus.

[MacK_Attack 108]

So how long until he's hired by the Habs?

[BlueMonk 102]

He's one of the great coaches of his generation, as far as I'm concerned.

People blame him for the advent of defensive hockey, and he did do more for the trap than any other coach. But people also forget he coached a high powered offensive team in Jersey that wasn't nearly as boring as some of the later editions of that team that came after he left. He never had elite talent in Minnesota but he always kept the team in contention. He had total buy-in to his system from his players, which is pretty remarkable.

He'll land a job elsewhere. It's hard for me to imagine him NOT being the head coach of Montreal by the start of next season.

[miller76 463]

He'll land a job elsewhere. It's hard for me to imagine him NOT being the head coach of Montreal by the start of next season.

You hit it right on. xm, nhl home ice today was all over this topic. They were saying he is the likely candidate for the job, and that him and that organization have remained on a good terms throught the years.

They also touched on the likelyhood of Patrick Roy replacing Granato in Colorado.

[finalfilppula 2]

So how long until he's hired by the Habs?

hah.

[Kwame_Kilpatrick 0]

He's one of the great coaches of his generation, as far as I'm concerned.

People blame him for the advent of defensive hockey, and he did do more for the trap than any other coach. But people also forget he coached a high powered offensive team in Jersey that wasn't nearly as boring as some of the later editions of that team that came after he left. He never had elite talent in Minnesota but he always kept the team in contention. He had total buy-in to his system from his players, which is pretty remarkable.

He'll land a job elsewhere. It's hard for me to imagine him NOT being the head coach of Montreal by the start of next season.

good call i was thinking similarly. bob gainey the current canadiens coach is alright but he does not have a developed proven system like lemaire. he is also not french canadian or a legend in montreal. saku koivu seems like the perfect guy for his style imo although kovalev is an old a fart as u can get

[wings5gal 0]

He's not planning to go to Montreal.

One place he won't be going is Montreal, where he won eight Stanley Cups as a player and also coached the Canadiens briefly. He said he's not interested in returning to his roots, because of the media swarm and the pressure that comes with that position.

link It's on page 3 of the article. He's made some other comments in other articles about the media there.

He was the Head coach there in the 80s and the media was part of why he left if you look at his bio on the Hockey Hall of fame website. He also worked upstairs in the organization. It doesn't sound like he wants to go back to Montreal at this point. I'm sure the Wild has stressed him enough.

It'll be interesting to see where he ends up though. I honestly thought before I read the article that it would be Montreal...kinda a finishing where you started thing. And it still could happen...I'm just not betting on it.