Kinda weird
-- Recently fired coach Larry Robinson is returning to the New Jersey Devils as an assistant coach while John Cunniff undergoes treatment for a recurrence of throat cancer.
Cunniff, who became an assistant under Kevin Constantine when Robinson was fired on Jan. 28, spent the past two weeks as an assistant coach for Herb Brooks and the silver medal-winning U.S. Olympic hockey team.
Devils president Lou Lamoriello said Cunniff was told about the cancer before the Olympics, and that he wanted to go Salt Lake City, anyway.
``That's the way he is,'' Lamoriello said. ``I have known him for such a long time. He's an exceptional person. This is John.''
Robinson was to rejoin the Devils on Tuesday, when they return from the Olympic break for a game in New York against the Rangers.
Robinson, who has been at his home in Florida, was not immediately available for comment.
Constantine didn't think it would awkward working with the man he replaced.
``It's different, but different only in that it hasn't been done that much before,'' said Constantine, who has guided the Devils to a 4-1-2 record since taking over.
Devils captain Scott Stevens said Robinson was the first person he thought of when he heard that Cunniff would be leaving the team.
``It will work,'' Stevens said. ``That's not even a question.''
Lamoriello said he spoke with Robinson several times during the past week, and Robinson agreed to fill in for Cunniff for the rest of the season.
``I don't know if it's an indication of the relationship and the interests we have,'' Lamoriello said. ``We're all in it to get the best group together and have success.''
That was the same business approach that Lamoriello used when he fired the easygoing Robinson in January, less than a season after the Hall of Famer led the Devils within one victory of consecutive Stanley Cup titles.
``I still think Larry's an excellent coach,'' Lamoriello said when he fired Robinson. ``Larry did everything and anything he possibly could. They weren't responding on a consistent basis.''
Lamoriello said that Robinson would handle the defensemen, along with Constantine.
``When I spoke to Larry I said I would understand if this was something he didn't want to do and I told him that no one would ever know we talked,'' Lamoriello said.
Devils center Bobby Holik wasn't worried about having Constantine and Robinson working together.
``Today's turn of events is minor compared to what's going on with Cunny,'' Holik said. ``I've know him as long as I've been with this organization, and everybody just wants what's best for Cunny.''
When Robinson was fired on Jan. 28, the Devils had a 21-20-7-3 record and were ninth in the Eastern Conference, one spot out of the playoff picture.
Under Constantine, the Devils have moved into seventh place in the conference with 62 points. The eighth-place Rangers are one point back and two ahead of ninth-place Montreal.
