Stunner: Lamoriello Is the Maple Leafs New GM

Published on 23-Jul-2015 by Alan Adamsson

NHL    NHL Daily Update

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Stunner: Lamoriello Is the Maple Leafs New GM

The self-proclaimed center of the hockey universe just pulled in another legendary luminary.

Literally minutes after turning in his 28-year-old keys for the New Jersey Devils, Lou Lamoriello was announced as the new general manager for Toronto's Maple Leafs.

That means he'll join über-coach Mike Babcock in chasing the NHL's impossible dream: quashing Leafness.

How monumental is this move? Here's the proverbial 1000 words in graphic form:

Lamoriello Godfather

This is the dude who took a penny-pinching franchise that was on life support as the Kansas City Scouts and doing the green mile as the original Colorado Rockies and turned it into a three-time Stanley Cup winner -- 1995, 2000, and 2003 -- as part of 21 post-season appearances in the unfashionable side of New York City's metro area.

Thanks Lou

Rehearsals for the Stanley Cup parades in 2016 and beyond are no doubt being organized at this very minute.

Toronto mayor on Lamoriello hiring

But before the premature sheet-staining gets too out of control, it might be wise to recall that Lamoriello was pushed out of the GM job in New Jersey. That can happen when a club accustomed to post-season play hasn't done it for the past three seasons. Worse, the drought has no end in sight.

For Lamoriello, then, this could be the ultimate revenge job. And for Leafs president Brendan Shanahan, this is an indication of how deep loyalty can run.

Shanahan drafted by Lamoriello

If nothing else, 2015 will be remembered as the year two traditional losers made a dynamic grab for the brass ring. First, the sad-sack Chicago Cubs assemble a hot pairing of Theo Epstein and Joe Maddon, and now the Leafs have Babcock and Lamoriello.

Daunting tasks. To date, all previous attempts have done is make for fond memories ... of the places they left behind.