“Lou's record on the ice speaks for itself and as amazing as it is, it pales in comparison to his record as a human being. His passion, integrity and leadership over the last 28 years impacted the lives of thousands, creating a lasting legacy. I have been honored to have worked with Lou over the last two years and I will forever consider it a privilege."

“On behalf of my family and the entire organization, we thank Lou for creating some of the most cherished moments for our fans,” added Blitzer. “His stewardship and guidance through championships and challenging times for this franchise have inspired generations and impacted the lives of many. We will be forever grateful for his contributions and we wish him all the best.

“Ray is a proven and innovative leader in the NHL. He has quickly and decisively put his stamp on this organization, and we are excited about the direction of New Jersey Devils Hockey under his guidance.”

Lamoriello was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame on November 9, 2009 and into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame inOctober 2012. Hereceived the 1992 Lester Patrick Trophy in recognition for service to hockey in the United States. Under his direction as General Manager, the Devils’ record was 1,093-779-268 (.578) during the regular-season and 136-116 (.540) in the post-season. Lamoriello’s teams owned the NHL’s second-best record during each of the last two decades: 396-275-110 (.577) in the 1990’s and 422-223-95 (.634) in the 2000’s. In 1995, Albany won the AHL’s Calder Cup, as the organization became the first since 1976-77 to win both NHL and AHL championships. In addition to his President and General Manager duties, he was also behind the team’s bench on three separate occasions.

“I have been fortunate to have worked for Josh Harris and David Blitzer for the past two years. In addition, the organization afforded me the opportunity to work for two other individuals that greatly impacted my life, Dr. John J. McMullen and George Steinbrenner. I have worked with Hall-of-Fame coaches, and players and a great staff, all of whom contributed to our success. In the end, it’s about the people which makes this decision so difficult," said Lamoriello.

Lamoriello served as CEO of New Jersey Nets for two-plus seasons from 2001- 02 until the sale of the team in 2004, overseeing a franchise that made consecutive NBA Finals’ appearances. A past member of the NHL Board of Governors’ Executive Committee, he served as general manager of Team USA for 1998 Winter Olympic Games, and during the first-ever World Cup tourney, 1996, as USA captured the championship. In 1989, Lamoriello aggressively pursued Viacheslav Fetisov, who opened the door for many Soviet hockey players who followed him. He was named the club’s second president April 30, 1987; and assumed dual role of President/GM prior to 1987-88 training camp. Lamoriello spent two decades building Providence College’s hockey success, leaving his post as athletic director to join the Devils. He served as hockey coach for 15 seasons, compiling a .578 winning percentage (248-179-13), while guiding the Friars to 12 post- season tournaments in a row, including the 1983 Final Four.