Thirty years ago, about nine months into his career as the president and general manager of the New Jersey Devils, Lou Lamoriello hired his first NHL coach — a fiery, 35-year-old redhead named Jim Schoenfeld.
“It was a pretty bold move on Lou’s part,’’ Schoenfeld, now a senior vice president and assistant GM with the Rangers. “My first NHL gig was with Buffalo, and I was fired after 43 games.’’
But Buffalo didn’t improve after Schoenfeld was fired and finished last in the league the season after Schoenfeld’s departure.
So, when Devils TV colorman Peter McNab — the son of Lamoriello’s predecessor, Max McNab — recommended Schoenfeld to Lamoriello as a potential replacement for then-coach Doug Carpenter, Lamoriello listened.