New Jersey Devils: Interviewing Gerard Gallant Is Good News
The New Jersey Devils hiring Gerard Gallant is something that would really help to push them forward in their development.
The New Jersey Devils need a coach. John Hynes wasn’t getting it done so they fired him in the earlier portion of the 2019-20 season. Alain Nasreddine has come in as the interim and pretty much been more of the same, despite MacKenzie Blackwood making it look a little better than it actually was. They need a new voice in the room to really help move along some of these young players.
Everyone knows that Gerard Gallant is one of the best coaches in the National Hockey League. It was very unpopular when the Vegas Golden Knights fired him this season in favor of Peter DeBoer. Well, according to Pierre LeBrun of TSN, the Devils have interviewed Gerard Gallant last week to be their new coach. Obviously, with everything going on in our world right now it was a virtual interview.
The Devils, according to LeBrun, are the only team that has conducted any interviews during this pause. It seems like there are two things that this means. Alain Nasreddine will not be back and the interim tag might be removed from GM Tom Fitzgerald. If he is allowed to conduct interviews right now, you have to think that he will handle some decision making going forward.
Gerard Gallant is the perfect guy for the job right now. Everywhere he goes, things seem to go well. He was with the Florida Panthers who had a bit of success under him before ultimately landing with the Golden Knights. In year one with Vegas, he was the coach of the year as he took them to the Stanley Cup Final in year one of their franchise’s history.
If he came to the Devils, it would be on him to start getting the most out of the young players. Young men with talent seem to thrive under Gallant. He helped turn William Karlsson into one of the best two-way centers in the world. Imagine what he might be able to help Nico Hischier do. Jack Hughes needs to be put in certain situations to help him succeed offensively and Gallant might be the type of leader who can do so.
Jack Hughes outlook for next season and beyond. light. Related Story
The only strange thing about Gallant is how he seems to get unfairly let go everywhere he goes. He was mysteriously let go from both Florida and Vegas. With that said, he is also successful wherever he goes. This might be the best-case scenario for the Devils in their search for a coach that will help them develop into a contender.