Lou Lamoriello elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame

For once, Lou Lamoriello was caught off guard and unprepared.

The New Jersey Devils president and general manager has been elected for enshrinement into the Hockey Hall of Fame.  The announcement was made today, with Lamoriello getting the nod in the Builders category. 

Lamoriello said he was working the phones when he received the call from Bill Hay, Chairman of the Hockey Hall of Fame's Board of Directors.

“I was on the phone in my office, engrossed in a conversation with the door closed, and my secretary knocked on the door and said Bill Hay was on the phone," Lamoriello said.  "I was so entrenched in the conversation, not even thinking about what Bill was calling me for.  I had not looked at the papers and did not realize it was Hall of Fame day.

"It was a complete surprise.   I was not thinking about it at all.   A humbling experience, one in which I felt completely honored in every way.”

(AP Photo/NHL, File)

Inducted as players were Brett Hull, Luc Robitaille, Steve Yzerman and Brian Leetch.

"This award is completely unexpected," Lamoriello told the Hockey Hall of Fame's website.  "Over my career I have been fortunate to have been associated with great players and coaches, and this award recognizes their contributions to my career."

Lamoriello, 67, has guided the Devils to Stanley Cup titles in 1995, 2000 and 2003.  Not only was he honored for his service with New Jersey, but he also was given the nod for his contributiuons at the collegiate level.

After captaining both the hockey and baseball teams at Providence College, Lamoriello stayed at the school as an assistant coach in both.  He became the head coach of the Friars' hockey team four years later and remained in that post until joining the Devils in 1987.  Lamoriello did double duty as athletic director for the final four-plus years.

From 1983-87, Lamoriello was commissioner of Hockey East, of which he was a founder.  Starting in 1989, the Hockey East champion was awarded the Lamoriello Cup.

Lamoriello became president of the Devils in April 1987 and shortly thereafter assumed the GM duties.  He remains the longest-tenured GM in the NHL.  That season became the first in which the Devils finished with a winning record, and they marched within a win of the Stanley Cup Finals.  Lamoriello even took over behind the bench the the conference finals against the Boston Bruins when coach Jim Schoenfeld was suspended for his famed lashing at referee Don Koharski.

He took the coaching reins two other times, from December 19, 2005 through the end of the playoffs in 2006, and from April 2, 2007 until New Jersey was eliminated from the post season.  In his 20 seasons the Devils have missed the playoffs just twice. 

In addition to his role with the Devils, Lamoriello was GM of the United States national team for the 1996 World Cup and the 1998 Olympics.

The induction ceremony will take place at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto on Monday, Nov. 9.