The New Jersey Devils need a spark in their organization. There is a head coach that just became available that could help with that issue.
The New Jersey Devils were very bad in their pre-AllStar portion of the schedule. They went into the season with playoff expectations but instead, they are in the last place of the Metropolitan Division with a 17-24-7 record. They are second to last in the Eastern Conference with only the Detroit Red Wings who likely won’t catch them. With all of that hype, it is a shame that this team is dealing with another extremely disappointing season.
During the season, they traded Taylor Hall to the Arizona Coyotes, fired their general manager Ray Shero, and fired head coach John Hynes. Well, to fix one of those problems, another head coach just became available that would go a long way in helping this team turn it around. The Vegas Golden Knights fired coach Gerard Gallant despite his team sitting in a playoff position. They then hired former Devils coach Peter DeBoer to replace him.
It is a very confusing move because Vegas has only known success since coming into the league. There are only a few coaches in the NHL who impact the team in a way where they instantly become better upon their arrival. Gallant is one of those guys. He was not given a fair shake with the Florida Panthers and Vegas took advantage. He took them all the way to the Stanley Cup Final in their first year en route to being named Coach of the Year. Then last season he lost a game seven in overtime with Vegas to the San Jose Sharks. Of course, a very controversial major penalty call played into that.
The team might not be leading the Pacific Division, but they are still an elite team that is going to be considered a Stanley Cup contender by April. So, like in Florida, it seems like he wasn’t given a fair chance in Vegas either. He is one of the best coaches in the world, so the Devils would be extremely wise to bring him in right now.
The Devils are currently on their mandatory bye-week that will lead into the All-Star break. They should honestly make the chance during that time. Naming Gallant as the head coach right now would give him time to prepare as the players are away. Then, when they come back they could be ready for Gallant to take over and implement his systems. You can have all of the right players but if you don’t have the right coach it will all be for not. If it isn’t Gallant, hopefully, it is someone that will bring the Devils to success.