Devils fire coach John Hynes after poor start

NEWARK, N.J. — The New Jersey Devils have fired coach John Hynes.

General manager Ray Shero announced the move Tuesday, roughly 20 minutes before Hynes was to speak to the media before the Devils game against the Las Vegas Golden Knights at the Prudential Center.

Shero said assistant Alain Nasreddine will become the interim coach and Peter Horachek, a pro scout for the team, will join the coaching staff as an assistant.

The Devils have a 9-13-4 record and are coming off embarrassing losses to the rival New York Rangers on Saturday and a disastrous 7-1 defeat on Monday night in Buffalo. They are in last place in the Metropolitan Division and have the second-worst record in the Eastern Conference.

The Devils had high hopes entering the season after drafting Jack Hughes with the No. 1 overall pick just two years after taking Nico Hischier with the No. 1 pick.

Hynes had a 150-159-45 record in 354 career regular-season games over four-plus seasons and led the team to the 2018 playoffs for the first time in six years. He ranks second in team history in games coached, wins and points (345).

“John played an integral role in the development of this team in establishing a foundation for our future and we are grateful for his commitment, passion and unmatched work ethic,” Shero said in a statement. “John is a respected leader, developer of talent and friend which makes this decision difficult. We are a team who values and takes pride in accountability to the results we produce.

“We are collectively disappointed in our performance on the ice, and believe changes were needed starting with our head coach,” Shero added. “I have been consistent in my desire to build something here in New Jersey that earns the respect of teams throughout the league and pride in our fans. That is not where we were heading and for me to tolerate anything less was not acceptable.”

Nasreddine played for six different NHL organizations during his 15-year professional career: Chicago Blackhawks, Edmonton Oilers, Florida Panthers, Montreal Canadiens, New York Islanders and the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Horachek was a long-time assistant coach for the Nashville Predators, as well as interim head coach of the Florida Panthers and the Toronto Maple Leafs. He has been a pro scout with the club since 2015.