The New Jersey Devils have added another big name to their coaching staff, this time hiring Mark Recchi as an assistant. Recchi joins Lindy Ruff’s staff after he was recently let go by the Pittsburgh Penguins. Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald released a statement on his new coach:
We are extremely excited to add Mark to our coaching staff, where his experience as a player, coach, and in development will be invaluable. His work with the power play and managing personnel in Pittsburgh are skills that will benefit our group moving forward. Mark’s leadership, communication abilities, patience, and presence will be integral for the growth of our young core.
There are few people with more NHL playing experience than Recchi, who sits sixth all-time in games played with 1,652 regular season contests. The Hall of Fame forward won three Stanley Cups, including one at the age of 42 with the Boston Bruins in 2011. A coach with the Penguins since 2014, he was let go with Sergei Gonchar and Jacques Martin earlier this summer when Pittsburgh GM Jim Rutherford made sweeping changes to the coaching staff.
In New Jersey, he’ll join Ruff in a new journey, trying to bring the Devils back to relevance in the Eastern Conference. Once a powerhouse that won three Stanley Cups in less than a decade, the Devils have gone to the playoffs just once in the past eight seasons.
Still don’t get why they hired Ruff over Gallant.
Because they didn’t want to fire him 2 years later. :)
Just a guess, but Gallant wanted $5 million or more while Ruff was asking for $500,000 or so?
Another ex-Penquin. thought this would end when Shero left.
Except Fitzgerald is also an ex-Penguin.
Ex flyer , screw the guins