Jacques Lemaire Informs Devils He's Out As Coach

Jacques Lemaire is walking away from the head coach job with the New Jersey Devils. After failing to take the team out of the 1st round, Lemaire has quit.

Lemaire had this to say, "It's not the team, it is not the result or the lack of result we had in the playoffs,"

"It's not that at all. It's the end of the line. I'll be 65. It's just time."

It's been reported that he will stay within the Devils organization in some capacity. Not sure yet what that role is.

TSN has the full story.

-Smokin' Ray-

Daily News & Rumors

Kovalchuk is officially on the trading block as Thrashers GM Don Waddell offered 101 million dollars for 12 years and Ilya declined.

It looks like the 3 remaining teams in on Kovalchuk are the Kings, Rangers and the Devils.

This from Larry Brooks of the NY Post "Source: price of NYR rental of Ilya is Staal or Del Zotto + Callahan or Dubinsky + Kreider or Stepan or Grachev + first rounder = No deal."

Ryan Whitney and Tim Gleason will fill in for Mike Komisarek and Paul Martin on the USA Olympic team.

This from Chip Alexander "Jim Rutherford said a deal is pending that will send Nic Wallin to another team. Rutherford not saying which team."

I was attending an OHL game last night and had no connection to the internet so I could not post the trade.

Devils send:

F Patrice Cormier
F Niclas Bergfors
D Johnny Oduya
1st round pick (this year)
2nd round pick (this year)

Thrashers send:

F Ilya Kovalchuk
D Anssi Salmela  
2nd round pick (this year) 

Pikkariainen to the KHL

The New Jersey Devils have assigned right wing Ilkka Pikkariainen to CSKA Moscow of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). Ilkka had 1 Goal and 3 Assists in 31 games with the Devils.

Follow me on twitter @ ToddNHLTALK2