NEWARK, N.J. — The New Jersey Devils paid tribute to former head coach Jacques Lemaire by welcoming him into the team’s Ring of Honor, recognizing his remarkable career as an 11-time Stanley Cup champion.
During a pregame tribute ahead of the Devils’ match against the Boston Bruins on Wednesday evening, the 79-year-old Lemaire was celebrated for his significant contributions to the team.
Among those accompanying Lemaire at center ice were several of his former players, including renowned goalie Martin Brodeur, as well as defensemen Scott Stevens, Scott Niedermayer, and Larry Robinson.
Robinson expressed his deep appreciation for the occasion, stating, “I wouldn’t have missed this for anything. We both came up in a pretty successful organization in Montreal.” Robinson played alongside Lemaire on the Montreal Canadiens, where they earned five Stanley Cup victories together. He also served as an assistant coach during the Devils’ 1995 championship run and later took the reins for the team’s second title in 2000.
Lemaire’s storied career includes winning the Stanley Cup eight times as a player with the Canadiens, alongside two additional championships as Montreal’s assistant general manager. He joined the Devils prior to the 1993-94 season, nearly a decade after coaching Montreal for just over a season in the mid-1980s.
In the 1994 playoffs, New Jersey was narrowly defeated in a seven-game series against the Rangers in the conference finals before clinching the Cup the following year with a decisive four-game sweep over the Detroit Red Wings.
During the emotional ceremony, Lemaire expressed his joy at reconnecting with former players and Lou Lamoriello, the Devils’ general manager when they took the championship. Lamoriello currently serves as the president of hockey operations for the New York Islanders, where Lemaire continues to contribute as a special assignment coach.
Acknowledging Lamoriello in his heartfelt acceptance speech, Lemaire reflected, “All the meetings we had, the hours we spent together, talking about players, the game and everything was for one goal only — to get the team better so we could win a Stanley Cup.” He donned a vivid red Devils jacket at center ice to commemorate the honor.
Lemaire also had a hand in shaping the Minnesota Wild during their first eight seasons before returning to the Devils for the 2009-10 season and part of the 2010-11 campaign. He closed his coaching career with an impressive total of 617 victories.
In a lighthearted comment, Lemaire remarked that he does not miss the pressures of coaching, quipping, “I haven’t lost a game since 2011, so I don’t worry as much.”
