Devils' coach announcement won't come this week

NEWARK, N.J. -- Don't expect New Jersey Devils General Manager Lou Lamoriello to be naming a new coach anytime this week.

The 25th-year general manager took some time with the media here at the AmeriHealth Pavilion on Tuesday to explain the situation following two productive morning sessions of the Devils rookie camp. Lamoriello is not fazed by the fact the Devils remain the only team in the League without a head coach.

"We will have a coach in the very near future, but not this week," Lamoriello said.

Lamoriello was also asked if any of the coaches running the team's camp, including Larry Robinson, Scott Stevens, Adam Oates, Chris Terreri, Jacques Caron, former Trenton (ECHL) coach Kevin Dean or Albany coach Rick Kowalski, would be in line for the position.

"I'm not going to get into discussions with reference to the coaching staff or anything of that nature," he said. "There's (no coach) that has been named, so you can interpret it any way you want."

The Star-Ledger speculated that, perhaps, Robinson could be in line for a third stint behind the Devils bench and first since 2005.

"I haven't heard anything," Robinson told The Star-Ledger when inquired about that proposition.

According to Lamoriello, the fact rookie camp is being held is not the reason a coach will not be named this week.

It had been speculated that Lamoriello was considering former NHL coaches Guy Carbonneau, Michel Therrien, Ken Hitchcock and Craig MacTavish for the job. Wisconsin head coach Mike Eaves was also mentioned. One would think, however, that if any of those individuals were in line for the position, a decision would have already been made.

Whoever is named coach would be the seventh hired by Lamoriello in the last seven seasons.

Another topic discussed were the contract negotiations involving first-round draft pick Adam Larsson, who must be signed by July 15. Otherwise, the Devils would be forced to pay $100,000 to his Swedish Elite League team, Skelleftea, for the right to extend the deadline to Aug. 15.

"We're going to do everything we can to get it done," Lamoriello said. "Anything he does (at rookie camp) has no bearing on the decision to sign him because we know what he can do and what he can't do. He's a quality player and we're going to do everything we can to get him signed. I like everything he does. He's very mature for his age (18), very humble, and yet confident. He's going to be a great player."

Follow Mike Morreale on Twitter at: @mike_morreale