Le Wild rendra hommage à Jacques Lemaire

Before Saturday's game against the Columbus Blue Jackets, the Minnesota Wild will honor the memory of their first head coach, Jacques Lemaire.

The date was well chosen as it was a matchup between two expansion teams from the 2000–01 season.

• Also read: Samuel Girard's health problems continue

• Also read: Another serious injury to Josh Norris

Based on his success with the Montreal Canadiens and the New Jersey Devils, with whom he won the Stanley Cup in 1995, Lemaire was a leading candidate to lead this young team.

During his tenure, he was accompanied by CH alumni Doug Risebrough and Mario Tremblay, who served as general manager and assistant coach, respectively. The two men also made the trip to Minnesota on Saturday.

“I’ve wanted to come back here for a long time,” Lemaire explained to the media before the meeting. “When they called me and told me that Mario and Doug were coming, I was excited. Now I tell myself that I should come longer”.

The eight-time Stanley Cup winner with the Canadiens spent eight years with the Wild. He remembers taking over the reins of a team full of unknowns, but which could count on a very young Marian Gaborik.

The first season was not very convincing: Scott Pellerin became the top scorer (39 points), and Manny Fernandez multiplied the miracles in front of goal.

“As a coach, we wanted to win every game, but we knew we couldn't do that,” admitted Lemaire. “It was a process and we went through it. We had dedicated players, guys who wanted to do well.”

In 2003, the Wild had their best year (to this day), reaching the Western Conference Finals. Lemaire made the playoffs two more times in Minnesota before retiring in 2009.

“You know, because of the expectations in 2003, I don't think everyone was saying, 'These guys are going to make the association finals.' I don't think so. But you start playing and try to do your job. Everyone believed in it, you never know, and I kept trying to repeat it,” admitted the 80-year-old man, who won the Jack Adams Trophy that same year.