Looks like Lou is making changes in NJ to try and get out of the first round. Probably allowed Lemaire to retire instead of firing another coach. Found it on the NHL website, see below:

The New Jersey Devils announced Monday that Jacques Lemaire has resigned from his post as coach but will remain within the organization in some other capacity.

The announcement comes on the heels of the team's stunning five-game loss to the Philadelphia Flyers in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals last week. The Devils finished the regular season first the Atlantic Division with 48 wins and 103 points and earned the second seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs before bowing to the seventh-seeded Flyers.

Devils General Manager Lou Lamoriello admitted last Friday during a conference call that he wanted Lemaire back for another season as coach.

"There's no question that he will be back unless you know something I don't know," Lamoriello said during the afternoon conference call. "Those type of even questions and topics are asked all the time. It is what it is. We haven't even discussed any of this, but there's no question in my mind (Lemaire will be back) unless there is something I don't know."

Following his team's 3-0 loss in Game 5 to the Flyers on Thursday, Lemaire did say he still "loves coaching.

Lemaire returned to the Devils this season after spending the previous eight seasons coaching the Minnesota Wild. It was Lemaire's second stint with New Jersey; he first coached the team from 1993-98, topped by winning the franchise's first Stanley Cup in 1995.