He proved his coaching ability by leading the Devils to the 1995 Stanley Cup, but now Jacques Lemaire might be interested in rebuilding the Rangers as their general manager.
At the Meadowlands for Game 2 of Devils-Panthers last night, Lemaire told The Post that he would not rule out replacing Neil Smith, who was fired late last month as GM of the Blueshirts.
Lemaire, currently a consultant to Canadiens GM Rejean Houle, said the Rangers would need Montreal’s consent before interviewing him. But he wouldn’t deny that he’d be interested in speaking with Garden president Dave Checketts.
“If they get the permission then we’ll see,” Lamaire said. “I still have one year left on my contract.”
Lemaire has no GM experience, but his success with the Devils and the respect he enjoys around the league could make him a viable candidate for the Rangers.
After the Devils’ first-round playoff ouster against the Senators in ’98, Lemaire resigned under pressure. In five seasons as their coach, he finished with a 199-122-57 regular-season mark and went 34-22 in the playoffs.