Larry Robinson News

Four straight from the Stanley Cup champs. In April, it would be a momentous sweep.

Is Brian Rafalski, shown in his days with the Devils, a future Hall of Famer? Brian Rafalski sat in the visitors' dressing room at the Prudential Center Saturday morning, sweat rolling off his balding head and dripping from the Detroit Red Wings defenseman's pads.

The long playoff runs are not as bountiful as they once were and there hasn't been a Stanley Cup parade in Montreal since 1993.

He played only 18 games as a New Jersey Devil, but Willie Mitchell will tell you that it is here where the foundation was laid that allowed him to become a premier stay-at-home NHL defenceman.

Hockey notes Former Montreal Canadiens greats Bob Gainey, right, and Larry Robinson show their sweaters at a news conference announcing their numbers will be retired at the Bell Center in Montreal, Que., Wednesday, Sept.5, 2007.

"They wanted you to do four minutes and out, so you do an outline, you fill it in and it's 25 minutes, so you start cutting stuff out.

Jacques Lemaire said the Devils are growing and need to face a team like Pittsburgh.

Rightwinger Rick Tocchet of the Philadelphia Flyers moves down the ice during a game against the Los Angeles Kings at the CoreStates Spectrum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

It's not the impressive Rangers the Devils will fret first tonight in Newark. They are more concerned about themselves than they are about their rivals.

Target areas with bait activity, using cut or live finger mullet in the first gut.

A parting gift: Patrice Brisebois, who announced his retirement on Thursday, received the Jean BA©liveau Trophy for his generous community involvement.

Devils assistant coach Mario Tremblay during his days with the Montreal Canadiens.

Goalie Martin Brodeur was among those players on the ice at the Prudential Center for Thursday's morning skate.

Devils scout Pat Burns, pictured in 2004, has beat cancer twice but is now fighting incurable lung cancer.

If there was any further evidence required that the New Jersey Devils live in their own little world separate from the rest of us, it was the decision to bring back coach Jacques Lemaire, who led the Devils to their first Stanley Cup back in 1995.

Jacques Lemaire has shown his players that reputations aren't always accurate. The moment Jacques Lemaire was hired as Devils coach, many assumed the team would go back to its trapping style of the past.

GM Lou Lamoriello believes Patrik Elias will be able to practice at some point in Devils training camp, but it won't bed at the start.

Before the Canadiens hired Jacques Martin as their new bench boss, Larry Robinson's name had been bandied about as a potential head coach candidate.

Defenseman Johnny Oduya thrived under Brent Sutter. He called it will be "a new page" under Jacques Lemaire.

Devils general manager Lou Lamoriello called new coach Jacques Lemaire a great teacher and said he and Lemaire "had a great relationship'' during Lemaire's first stint with the team.