larry robinson must really love that devils club. going back into the room that got you fired is something else, that would take a lot of courage.
my only question is if the players didn't listen to him 2 months ago, why are they gonna listen to him now. unless robinson is going to strictly adhere to constantine's system, i don't see why anything would change.
my only question is if the players didn't listen to him 2 months ago, why are they gonna listen to him now. unless robinson is going to strictly adhere to constantine's system, i don't see why anything would change.
Robinson returns to Devils while Cunniff undergoes cancer treatment
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) -- Recently fired coach Larry Robinson is returning to the New Jersey Devils as an assistant coach while John Cunniff undergoes treatment for a recurrence of throat cancer.
Cunniff, who became an assistant under Kevin Constantine when Robinson was fired on Jan. 28, spent the last two weeks as an assistant coach with the silver-medal U.S. Olympic hockey team.
Devils president Lou Lamoriello said Cunniff was told about the cancer before the Olympics and that he wanted to go Salt Lake City anyway.
"That's the way he is," Lamoriello said. "I have known him for such a long time.
"He's an exceptional person. This is John."
Robinson was to rejoin the Devils on Tuesday, when they resume play following the Olympic break with a game in New York against the Rangers.
Robinson, who has been at his home in Florida, was not immediately available for comment.
Lamoriello said he spoke with Robinson several times during the past week, and Robinson agreed to fill in for Cunniff for the rest of the season.
"I don't know if it's an indication of the relationship and the interests we have," Lamoriello said. "We're all in it to get the best group together and have success."
That was the same business approach that Lamoriello used when he fired the easy-going Robinson in January, less than a season after the Hall of Famer had led the Devils to within one victory of consecutive Stanley Cup titles.
"I still think Larry's an excellent coach," Lamoriello said when he fired Robinson. "Larry did everything and anything he possibly could.
"They (the players) weren't responding on a consistent basis."
Lamoriello said that Robinson would handle the defencemen, the position he played during 20 seasons in the NHL.
"When I spoke to Larry, I said I would understand if this was something he didn't want to do and I told him that no one would ever know we talked," Lamoriello said.
When Robinson was fired on Jan. 28, the Devils had a 21-20-7-3 record and were ninth in the Eastern Conference, one spot out of the playoff picture.
Under Constantine, the Devils are 4-1-2 and have moved into seventh place in the conference with 62 points, one ahead of the Rangers and three up on the Montreal Canadiens.