Getting to the Stanley Cup finals is something Devils GM Lou Lamoriello should be used to by now. His teams have been there four other times in his history with the team, winning the Cup three times.
Not having been to the finals since 2003, however, the Devils were left out of the loop for a bit and Lamoriello tells Tom Gulitti of Fire & Ice he couldn’t be happier to be back.
“You’re back where you want to be,” Lamoriello said. “We’ve had teams that had success during the regular season, but just couldn’t get through the playoffs for some reason. Although the teams, in my opinion, were teams that had a chance, this team has been a special team because all the pieces that have gone in have fit and things have gone right. The coaches have done a great job. We’ve gotten what you need to have success, but once again it’s getting where you want to get. Right now, what we want to get accomplished is in front of us, not behind us.”
It’s been coach Peter DeBoer that’s helped put Lamoriello’s roster to great use in disposing of the Panthers, Flyers, and Rangers on the way to the finals and while Lamoriello never really strikes you as the cuddly type, it’s clear this year’s Devils squad makes him happy. With guys like Ilya Kovalchuk and Martin Brodeur coming up big continually, you can see why he’d be excited.