The Maple Leafs continue to build a stockade of management and coaching talent, both young and old, carrying impressive resumes. The newest acquisition: Jacques Lemaire.
Toronto has signed Lemaire as a special assignment coach, according to the team. The long, long relationship between Lemaire and incoming general manager Lou Lamoriello obviously played a big hand in the situation, but it doesn’t make it less surprising.
Lemaire comes into the position having served as a special assignment coach for the New Jersey Devils last season. He also coached the Devils under Lamoriello previously, spending seven seasons on the bench there in two separate stints.
The #Leafs have hired Jacques Lemaire as Special Assignment Coach. #TMLtalk
READ → http://t.co/kZzjWliIwV pic.twitter.com/kYht7OYYvk
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) August 14, 2015
Brendan Shanahan, this summer, has put together a management group that includes Lou Lamoriello, Mike Babcock and Jacques Lemaire, which brings a wonderful wealth of talent and winning history to an organization that is grooming young talent on the ice and in the front office. Lemaire is another piece of the puzzle in one of the more interesting rebuilds of recent years.
Lemaire has coached over 1,200 games and won 11 Stanley Cups between his coaching and playing career (eight as a player, twice as assistant GM and once as a coach). He is also a two-time Jack Adams Award winner.
Scott Gomez is waiting by the phone, hoping that the famous Lamoriello loyalty hasn’t made its last signing in Toronto.
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