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Q & A with Kostya Kennedy
In a surprise move, New Jersey Devils GM Lou Lamoriello fired coach Robbie Ftorek Thursday and promoted assistant coach Larry Robinson. CNNSI.com spoke with Sports Illustrated's Kostya Kennedy, who talked about a new attitude in New Jersey, how much the coaching change will change will affect the team and why Lamoriello is making so many drastic moves. CNNSI.com: Why fire Ftorek now, so close to the playoffs? Kennedy: The Devils feel a lot of pressure to succeed in the playoffs -- especially after what's happened over the last couple of years -- and I think Lou got a little nervous. He felt the team just wasn't responding. This has been brewing for some time. With the playoffs coming up, he made this decision while it can still have some impact. There are eight games left before the playoffs, so if Larry wants to do some things differently, Lou left him enough time to do that. Overall I think Lou thought It's now or never -- and it better be now because this team cannot afford to lose in the first round again. It would make all this great regular-season success a failure. This could be Lou's last year in New Jersey, and he's not going to let that happen. I spoke to Lou last week and he wouldn't say anything about Ftorek's job status. I think that it really was a collection of things. In the last week or so Lou got a look at some of the playoff teams -- Florida, Dallas -- and he just wasn't happy with the way his team looked. CNNSI.com: If eight games is enough to remodel this team for the playoffs, how much different will the Larry Robinson Devils look than the Robbie Ftorek Devils? Kennedy: I don't think there's going to be too much difference. Robinson might experiment with some defensive pairings and some line combinations. Maybe he'll move Alexander Mogilny around to make him more productive. Practices will be run a little differently -- probably a little less intense. Not less focused, but less tense with a few more laughs. CNNSI.com: Did Ftorek's demeanor lend itself to tension during practices? Kennedy: Yes. Robbie's not a great communicator. He's not very approachable; he's very intense, and gets right on top of people. That doesn't breed a comfortable mood. Not that people should be having a holiday on the ice when they're trying to prepare for games, but there was just a lot of tension because of the way he went about things, his presence in particular. CNNSI.com: Lou made a comment about a lack of "ice discipline." How should we read that? Kennedy: During the conference call with reporters, someone pressed Lou on that comment and he wouldn't be more specific. I don't really know what Lou means by that. Yes they've had some defensive lapses, they've played like a struggling team and they haven't been as disciplined as they'd like to be, but it's not something that necessarily stands out as a major problem with the Devils. CNNSI.com: A lot of news has been made in New Jersey the past few weeks -- from the sale of the team, to Scott Niedermayer's suspension to this. The Devils seem like a team in turmoil rather than one with 95 points with eight games to play. Kennedy: That's true, and I can't remember a team this far out in front this late in the season getting rid of its coach. I mean, who would think that? And, in addition to what you mention, they've made a bunch of trades to change the team around. On balance, particularly on the defensive side, I don't know if they were good for the team or not. This does seem more like a team that's afraid of not making the playoffs than one that could have home ice until the Stanley Cup. CNNSI.com: What's next for the Devils? Is this team better equipped to enter the playoffs with a new coach in Robinson, or is it still all up the guys on the ice? Kennedy: I think it's pretty much up to the guys on the ice, but I think the next eight games will tell a lot -- and not just if they go 8-0 or 7-1. But if they play around .500, take a look at the team and the mood. They have to relax. And I think that's what Robinson can help them do. He's a little more of an easygoing guy and he's not going to do anything radical. Just going to the playoffs, there's going to be a lot of tension and if Robinson can ease the mood, that will be the most important thing he could do. CNNSI.com: One last question on Lamoriello. Some people are speculating that this is his last season with the team. Do his actions signal that he won't be back? Kennedy: Yeah. I think they signal two things. One, I think it shows he cares about owner John McMullen. Personally and professionally Lou likes him a lot and would like to win a Stanley Cup on his watch. I think that's part what this is all about. And, the other thing is that, yeah, he probably does have a feeling there's
nothing to lose for this team, so why not roll the dice? I bet that Lou hasn't
made up his mind yet about stepping down, but for a lot of reasons he really
wants to take a big shot at winning the Cup this year.
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