Jim Devellano
| Jim Devellano | |
|---|---|
| Born |
James Devellano January 18, 1943 Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| Occupation | Senior Vice President of the Detroit Red Wings and Detroit Tigers |
James "Jimmy" Devellano (born January 18, 1943) currently serves as the senior vice-president & alternate governor of the Detroit Red Wings National Hockey League (NHL) team and vice-president of the Detroit Tigers Major League Baseball (MLB) team.[1]
Early career
Devellano is originally from the Toronto area, growing up in the Cabbagetown and Scarborough areas. In 1959, he dropped out of high school after failing grade 9 algebra, and found work in the Toronto garment district for 80 cents an hour. He also spent time coaching and playing hockey, and closely followed the Toronto Maple Leafs and Toronto Marlboros.
In the 1960s, Devellano was employed by the Canadian government as a claims adjuster. During his frequent business trips, Devellano watched as many major junior hockey games as he could, and eventually found a job with the St. Louis Blues, working on spec (essentially no guaranteed compensation) as an amateur scout for general manager Lynn Patrick and head scout Frank Mario. Devellano and Patrick had met in person during the 1967 NHL Expansion Draft in Montreal. One of the first players Devellano recommended, Gary Edwards, was drafted in the first round by the Blues in the 1968 NHL Draft.[2] Also a part of the Blues organization at the time was Scotty Bowman, who was first an assistant coach and assistant general manager, and later head coach of the Blues.
New York Islanders
In 1972 Devellano was hired by general manager Bill Torrey and head scout Ed Chadwick as an Eastern Canada scout for the expansion New York Islanders. In his first season, he scouted "no-brainer" number 1 overall pick Dennis Potvin, whom the Islanders selected in the 1973 NHL Draft. Devellano also played a role in nominating Al Arbour, a former player in St. Louis, to be Islanders head coach. In 1974, Devellano was promoted to Director of Scouting, where he would be overseeing the Islanders drafts. He also served as general manager for the Islanders minor league affiliate, the Indianapolis Checkers of the Central Hockey League. In 1981, Devellano was named Assistant General Manager of the Islanders after Stanley Cup championships in 1980 and 1981. After winning the Stanley Cup again in 1982, Devellano invested his playoff bonus of $25,000 into Maple Leaf Gardens Limited.
Devellano won three Stanley Cups with the Islanders; two as scout (1980, 1981) and one as Assistant General Manager/Director of Scouting (1982).
Detroit Red Wings
Devellano was hired as general manager for the Detroit Red Wings by new owner Mike Ilitch in the summer of 1982.
Devellano served as the general manager of the Detroit Red Wings from 1982–1990, and again from 1994-1997. He remained in the Red Wings front office as a vice president during Bryan Murray's tenure as GM from 1990-1994. During his second stint as GM, Devellano served alongside Red Wings head coach Scotty Bowman, who also held the title of Director of Player Personnel. Both Devellano and Bowman were replaced by Assistant General Manager Ken Holland after the Stanley Cup Championship 1997 season. Devellano was named Senior Vice President and Alternate Governor, Bowman remained as head coach, and Holland was named General Manager.
Devellano has four Stanley Cups rings from his time in Detroit (1997, 1998, 2002, and 2008).
Devellano was hired by and has worked for one owner, Mike Ilitch, during his entire 30 year tenure with the Red Wings.
On September 22, 2012, Devellano and the Red Wings were fined $250,000 by the NHL for "inappropriate, unauthorized" comments made about the 2012 NHL lockout.[3]
Later career
In 2008, Devellano co-authored his autobiography with sportswriter and radio personality Roger Lajoie titled The Road to Hockeytown: Jimmy Devellano's Forty Years in the NHL.[4]
Devellano recalled that the one player he tried to acquire on several occasions was Ray Bourque; and that he recommended Scotty Bowman and Al Arbour over Mike Keenan as candidates to be the Wings coach in 1993. He said his best trade was probably in 1996, acquiring Brendan Shanahan and Brian Glynn from the Hartford Whalers in exchange for Keith Primeau, Paul Coffey, and a 1st round draft pick, which turned out to be Nikos Tselios.[5]
In 2006, Devellano was named to the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame.
He also has Major League Baseball American League championship rings (2006, 2012) with the Detroit Tigers as Senior Vice President.
Recollecting, Devellano called Islanders forward Mike Bossy "the best pure goal scorer" he had ever seen.
Devellano's election to The Hockey Hall of Fame was announced on June 22, 2010. He was inducted November 8, 2010.
Devellano has 15 championship rings: 7 Stanley Cup rings with the Islanders (1980, 1981, 1982), and Red Wings (1997, 1998, 2002, 2008); 3 American Hockey League Calder Cup rings with the Adirondack Red Wings (1986, 1989, 1992); 2 Central Hockey League Adams Cup rings with the Fort Worth Texans (1978) and Indianapolis Checkers (1982); 1 East Coast Hockey League Riley Cup ring with the Toledo Storm (1994); and 2 American League Championship rings with the Detroit Tigers (2006, 2012).
References
- ↑ The Road to Hockeytown: Jimmy Devellano's Forty Years in the NHL, Jim Devellano and Roger Lajoie, 2008, p.2
- ↑ Future Greats and Heartbreaks, Gare Joyce, 2007, pg.14
- ↑ http://aol.sportingnews.com/nhl/story/2012-09-22/jim-devellano-nhl-lockout-news-2012-fined-players-cattle-collusion-red-wings
- ↑ The Road to Hockeytown: Jimmy Devellano's Forty Years in the NHL
- ↑ http://espn.go.com/blog/nhl/post/_/id/1616/jim-devellanos-vision-created-a-dynasty
External links
| Preceded by Jimmy Skinner |
General Manager of the Detroit Red Wings 1982-90 |
Succeeded by Bryan Murray |
| Preceded by Bryan Murray |
General Manager of the Detroit Red Wings 1994-97 with Scotty Bowman |
Succeeded by Ken Holland |