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Devils Make Changes to Coaching Staff

The Devils announced today via a press release that there will be some changes behind their bench for the 2022-23 season.

So far, head coach Lindy Ruff will be retained, but his staff will look drastically different.

First up, assistant coach Alain Nasreddine, who had been with the team since the John Hynes regime and had in fact served as interim head coach between Hynes’ firing in 2020 and Ruff’s hiring in the 2021 offseason, “has mutually agreed to part ways with” the Devils.

Nasreddine’s contract will not be renewed by the Devils.

As well, “Mark Recchi has been relieved of his duties” as an assistant coach.

In another piece of news around the Devils, PK Subban has been nominated by the team for the King Clancy Memorial Trophy for 2021-22.

The announcement was made in a post on the team’s app and website by writer Amanda Stein.

The award is given to “the player who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and has made a noteworthy humanitarian contribution to his community.” Stein said that the “winner will be chosen by a committee of senior NHL executives led by commissioner Gary Bettman and deputy commissioner Bill Daly.”

Subban continued his work within the Newark community, particularly through his Blueline Buddies program, which helps “to bridge the gap between law enforcement and underserved children” which Subban adapted for the Covid pandemic to become digitally based when in-person meet-and-greets were not feasible, which Stein notes in her article.

Stein said that the virtual meet-and-greets were done “in a designated Devils Zoom room” and be held prior “to the start of every home game.” Subban was available to the participants to answer questions and interact with the participants.

Subban has also worked tirelessly to create awareness for causes and people outside of his programs.

Congratulations to PK Subban on his nomination for the King Clancy Trophy and good luck to him on winning the award.

In one other noteworthy accomplishment to two members of the Devils’ television broadcast team, congratulations to both studio and ice level analyst Bryce Salvador and rink side reporter and studio reporter Erika Wachter, both of whom will be working first round playoff series for the NHL on TNT and TBS.

Salvador will be working the Pittsburgh Penguins-New York Rangers series while Wachter will be working the Dallas Stars-Calgary Flames series.

Both will be working the same roles for Turner that they perform for Devils games on MSG.

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Devils Coaching Staff Continues to Take Shape

Catherine Bogart reported yesterday on the “Inside the Devils Blog” that Devils General Manager Tom Fitzgerald “spoke to the media ahead of the NHL Draft” and addressed the future of Lindy Ruff’s staff.

To begin, former Devils Interim Head Coach, Alain Nasreddine will be returning as an assistant coach next season.

Fitzgerald told Bogart: “He’s very excited about [returning] as are we. When you can keep a young talent like Alain, who did a good job with our group, tough situation, but he handled it well, learned a lot. [He] grew as a coach, young head coach. I think he’s very excited about the opportunity to work with Lindy Ruff. We’re excited about Alain coming back. He takes a lot of pride in growing our young [defense], he takes a lot of pride in working with the penalty kill, and we’re excited to have him.”

The coaching staff, according to Bogart, currently stands at Ruff, Nasreddine and Mark Recchi. She mentioned that the team is looking for a goaltending coach, leading us to believe that Rollie Melanson will not be returning. Likewise, they are looking for a third “eye in the sky” coach. This, added to Recchi’s hiring, would seem to indicate that the Devils have cut ties with Rick Kowalsky as well.

Bogart quoted Fitzgerald as saying: “We’re going through a goaltending coach search. We have to add a third coach, a ‘eye in the sky’ kind of guy. I think Lindy’s narrowed it down. I think he’s going to be comfortable with a person, I just like to sit down and talk with him and then go from there. There’s no rush especially with the draft and free agency coming up. But I don’t think the decision will take much longer.”

The “eye in the sky” coach would be replacing former assistant coach Mike Grier. Fitzgerald confirmed that Grier is not returning for next season.

Fitzgerald said to Bogart: “He was offered to come back, we would have loved to have him come back. He plans on staying home…he’s got young kids, he wants to be around and be a dad. If something comes up that gives him the opportunity to grow more with more responsibilities than we could have offered him then he’ll consider that. But he was offered a spot to come back.”

So, as it stands, the Devils’ coaching staff will consist of a familiar face along with a lot of overhaul. Once the team hires its goaltending coach and third assistant, we will have word for you here.