Could John MacLean Be the Next Head Coach of the New Jersey Devils?

(Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

The big NHL story of the day was the news of Brent Sutter's resignation. I actually found out about it from Levinakl at Bleacher Report, and immediately checked Tom Gulitti's blog for verification.

Because the news has already broken, and because this story has been developing for some time, I will not write an entire post on the topic myself, but will instead refer you to the aforementioned articles.

I will, however, begin the speculation as to who the next coach might be. This will certainly be a much-discussed issue among Devils fans over the coming weeks, but it could be a while until we receive an answer. Lou Lamoriello has said the search begins now, and that although this situation wasn't exactly unimaginable, he wanted to hear official word from Sutter before moving forward.

The name that appears to be on the forefront of everyone's mind is John MacLean, the one time career leader in scoring for the Devils (until his record was broken this season by Patrik Elias), and current assistant coach. While he's never been a head coach, he has spent a lot of time in the organization (within Sutter's system) and would probably be welcomed by the fans.

However, Lamoriello has had a few opportunities to hire MacLean in the past (the Devils' recent coaching carousel is no secret; since firing Larry Robinson in 2002, the Devils have fired two more coaches, seen three more resign, and have been coached at times by Lamoriello himself.)

But despite ample opportunities, MacLean has been looked over time and again. While he may be the logical choice—at least on the surface—it would not be surprising if Lamoriello once again glosses over the assistant coach and makes an outside hire.

For what it's worth, Sutter believes MacLean would be a sound choice. However, he will not be involved in the decision-making henceforth, and Lamoriello would not say if MacLean is a candidate or not. It's hard to believe MacLean isn't even a candidate, but whether or not Lamoriello is seriously considering him seriously is another matter.

Some rumors are pointing in the direction of former Devils coaches Larry Robinson and Jacques Lemaire. Robinson has coached the team twice, and has won a Stanley Cup with the team in 2000. However, his first tenure ended with a mid-season firing (only to be brought back as an assistant later in the year), and his second ended with a mid-season resignation, in which he cited fatigue. Later in that season declared himself ready to return (he did not).

Despite the Cup, I don't think Robinson would be a good hire at this point. The team looked sluggish when he last coached them, and his wishy-washy decisions do not bode well in the current NHL. As an assistant, I'm sure he would be fine, but he is not the man I'd choose to coach this team.

Lemaire is a more intriguing choice. The man known for instituting the neutral-zone trap recently stepped down from his post in Minnesota, and could be brought back to the place that made his defensive system famous. Some dread the return of "boring" hockey to the Red and Black, but I think Lemaire is aware that this team is no longer only about defense.

I think he would be a good hire—perhaps not ideal—but not someone I would stay away from. He is a proven coach and a proven winner, and I'm certain he can adapt his system to the team's needs. His age is a concern, but he would make a solid pickup overall.

As Sutter mulled his resignation, there were rumors abound that he would head to Calgary

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