Hockey
- Headlines
- Scoreboard
- Standings
- Stats
- NHL Schedule
- Teams
- Players
- Hockey Night in Canada
- Highlights
- Fantasy Pool
Football
Alpine Skiing
Curling
Figure Skating
Basketball
Baseball
Soccer
Amateur Sports
Golf
Tennis
Auto Racing

Jacques Lemaire to return behind Minnesota bench

Last Updated: Saturday, May 10, 2008 | 12:43 PM ET

CBC Sports

Coach Jacques Lemaire will return next season behind the Minnesota Wild bench. (Ann Heisenfelt/Associated Press

Jacques Lemaire has decided to come back for an eighth season as the coach of the Minnesota Wild.

Lemaire, 62, announced his decision to return behind the Wild bench in a news release Saturday.

There was speculation Lemaire would step down after the Wild were eliminated in the opening round of the playoffs, but he said he decided to return after meeting with general manager Doug Risebrough in Florida earlier this week.

"When you are younger, it's a lot easier to make a decision. At the end of the year, I said I wanted to ask questions of Doug Risebrough. I wanted to make sure my boss is happy with the work I am doing and with the way I manage the team. This is what we talked about in our meetings. I am reassured of my work and I want to coach again," said Lemaire.

"My satisfaction behind the bench is getting the team to play the best it can, individually and as a group. Success will come with that."

Lemaire, the only coach in the franchise's history, has been in charge of the Wild since 2000.

Under Lemaire, Minnesota posted a 44-28-10 record during the 2007-08 regular season en route to winning the Northwest Division and finishing third overall in the Western Conference.

But that success did not carry over into the playoffs, as the Wild were eliminated in the first round by the Colorado Avalanche.

Prior to joining Minnesota, Lemaire was head coach of the Montreal Canadiens from 1983-85 and the New Jersey Devils from 1993 to 1998, winning the Stanley Cup in 1995

He also won the Jack Adams Award (1994 and 2003) as the NHL's coach of the year.

Lemaire sports a career record of 500-381-168 over 14 years as coach in the NHL, including 60-52 in the playoffs, but with the Wild, he's gone just 11-18 in the post-season.

Playing his entire 12-season NHL career with the Montreal Canadiens, Lemaire won eight Stanley Cups and tallied 366 goals and 835 points in 853 career games.

Lemaire was inducted to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1984.

Internal Links

Avs eliminate Wild to overcome Game 6 hex

Hockey Headlines

Leafs look for win despite Tavares return: John Tavares makes his return to the ice Monday, just in time to play the Toronto Maple Leafs in his hometown debut at the Air Canada Centre.
Iginla hopes to deliver against Ducks: Flames captain Jarome Iginla looks to build on his first hat trick of the season and help Calgary end its recent struggles against the lowly Ducks in Anaheim on Monday at 7 p.m. PT.
Senators look for 4th straight win: The Ottawa Senators have stayed near the top of the Northeast Division due in large part to a home-heavy schedule thus far.
Laraque-Kronwall hearing tops Hockey Night's Take 5: Laraque-Kronwall hearing, Marc Savard's return, the NHL's strongest line, Leafs scouting, and Bryan Bickell's second career goal make Hockey Night's Top 5.
Thornton named NHL's 1st star: San Jose Sharks centre Joe Thornton was named the NHL's first star of the week Monday after leading all scorers with eight points last week. He had six assists and a plus-3 rating in three games.

Sports Headlines

Leafs look for win despite Tavares return: John Tavares makes his return to the ice Monday, just in time to play the Toronto Maple Leafs in his hometown debut at the Air Canada Centre.
Senators look for 4th straight win: The Ottawa Senators have stayed near the top of the Northeast Division due in large part to a home-heavy schedule thus far.
Mauer dominates AL MVP voting: Joe Mauer has become only the second catcher in 33 years to win the American League Most Valuable Player Award, receiving 27 of 28 first-place votes and 387 points on Monday.
Iginla hopes to deliver against Ducks: Flames captain Jarome Iginla looks to build on his first hat trick of the season and help Calgary end its recent struggles against the lowly Ducks in Anaheim on Monday at 7 p.m. PT.
FIFA calls emergency meeting ahead of World Cup draw: FIFA president Sepp Blatter has called an emergency meeting of its executive committee ahead of the World Cup draw in South Africa.