Lou Lamoriello buys full page ad to thank NJ Devils, fans

Lou Lamoriello is the New Jersey Devils.

Or at least was, until this year, when he gave up his general manager job to Ray Shero and then decided to leave the organization for the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday.

But from the moment he started in 1987 to 2015, Lamoriello presided over the transformation of the organization from a “Mickey Mouse” operation perpetually in the shadow of its geographic rivals to a three-time Stanley Cup champion whose essential players – including Martin Brodeur, Scott Stevens and Scott Niedermayer – were some of the best of their generation.

While recent results haven’t been stellar, the Devils and their fans owe Lamoriello for that transformation, and for every once of respect this organization has earned during his tenure. And while his micromanagement might not have maximized the promotional opportunities for the club – nor did his slavish commitment to defensive hockey – Lamoriello leaves as, perhaps, the most important general manager in New York sports history.

To mark this moment, Lamoriello took out a full page ad in the Bergen Record to thank the fans (via Fire and Ice):

Said Lou: “Since I first joined the New Jersey Devils in 1987 your dedication to the organization motivated me to work my hardest – every day, every week, every year. The nearly three decades I've been with the Devils are times I will cherish and never forget.”