By Anthony Caruso III | Publisher
The New Jersey Devils fired head coach John Hynes on Tuesday. He has been replaced by Alain Nasreddine on an interim basis.
Also, with Hynes being fired, the team has elevated Peter Horachek to assistant coach. Horachek joins Rick Kowalsky, Mike Grier and Roland Melanson on the bench.
In his first game behind the bench as the team’s leader, the Devils lost 4-3 to the Vegas Golden Knights.
“John played an integral role in the development of this team in establishing a foundation for our future and we are grateful for his commitment, passion and unmatched work ethic,” General Manager Ray Shero said. “John is a respected leader, developer of talent and friend which makes this decision difficult. We are a team that values and takes pride in accountability to the results we produce. We are collectively disappointed in our performance on the ice and believe changes were needed, starting with our head coach.
“I have been consistent in my desire to build something here in New Jersey that earns the respect of teams throughout the league and pride in our fans. That is not where we were heading and for me to tolerate anything less was not acceptable.”
Hynes was fired following a 9-13-4 record with the team. The team is in last place of the Metropolitan Division.
He departs the organization after 354 games. The Devils were 150-159-45 during his four-plus seasons on the bench with the team.
“Nas has a long history as a respected leader both as a player and a coach in the respective roles he has served for his teams,” Shero continued. “His experience as a captain and alternate captain on the ice, in addition to his responsibilities behind the bench, will serve him well as he leads this team through necessary changes to alter our current trajectory.”
