The New Jersey Devils have fired head coach Peter DeBoer.
The move, first reported by TSN’s Bob McKenzie, comes after the Devils entered the Christmas break with a disappointing 12-17-7 record, and with just one win in their last eight outings.
No replacement for DeBoer has been named as of yet. Expect an announcement sometime tomorrow.
Ahead of only two teams in the Eastern Conference, New Jersey is on pace to miss the playoffs for the third straight season. The Devils reached the Stanley Cup Final in 2011-12, DeBoer’s first season with the club.
Granted, despite missing the playoffs, the Devils were still a decent puck-possession team the past two seasons, with many, including DeBoer, believing they deserved a better fate.
But that hasn’t been the case this season, during which New Jersey has routinely been out-possessed and is being outshot by an average of 30.6 to 25.9.
There will, of course, be those who blame GM Lou Lamoriello for the roster he assembled for DeBoer to coach. The Devils’ current roster has an average age of 30.7, the oldest in the NHL.
