Brooks, Devils: Match Made in Hockey Heaven

Herb Brooks is the perfect coach for the New Jersey Devils, who have the least-experienced centers in the Patrick Division but who do have some good wings. “I don’t look at them as right wings, left wings or centers,” he said. “They’re forwards.”

Brooks has been identified with speed, innovation and creativity since guiding Team USA to the 1980 Olympic gold medal. He likes forwards in motion, switching positions rather than skating in lanes. The Devils now reflect that philosophy. “I think this team has the ability to be an up-tempo, creative team,” he said.

Approaching Tuesday night’s regular-season opener against the New York Islanders at Meadowlands Arena, Brooks, 55, described his mood as “positive apprehension. There’s the feeling that, ‘Hey, training camp’s over. Let’s get things going.’ ”

The key to the Devils’ season will be how Brooks’ centers go. The most experienced one is Kevin Todd (21 goals, 42 assists, 63 points), who made the NHL’s all-rookie team last year. Behind him are three who totaled seven goals in 40 games: Janne Ojanen, Alexander Semak and Jarrod Skalde. This developed because:

--General Manager Lou Lamoriello refused to give a two-year contract to 36-year-old free agent center Peter Stastny, putting him in limbo. Stastny has softened his demand and said he would sign a one-year deal but still could be traded to the Quebec Nordiques.

--Center Patrik Sundstrom, limited by injuries to 17 games, turned down a new contract and returned to Sweden.

--Checking center Laurie Boschman went to Ottawa in the expansion draft.

--Center Dave Barr is not at full strength after recovering from serious wrist surgery.

“They do not have a lot of NHL experience,” Brooks said of his centers. “That doesn’t mean they can’t do a good job.”

Brooks has the reputation of getting the most out of his players. From 1972-79 he guided the University of Minnesota to a 175-100-20 record and three NCAA titles. From 1981-85, he had a 131-113-41 mark with the New York Rangers. After they fired him, he coached a season at St. Cloud State and one with the Minnesota North Stars (19-48-13 in 1987-88). Then he worked two years as a SportsChannel hockey analyst and a year with a Minneapolis paper company before spending last season coaching the Devils’ Utica AHL farm club (34-40-6). On June 5, Brooks got a three-year contract to replace fired Tom McVie.

Brooks ran an upbeat and rigorous camp. Brooks often asked the Devils to skate wearing vests with lead weights to aid conditioning. He used players in five-man units with defensemen joining plays.

“We’re cautiously optimistic,” he said. “We think we have a good club. We still have to perform in the toughest division, in my estimation the toughest division since the 1967 expansion.”

The Devils had a club-record 38 wins last year, finished fourth in the division and took the Rangers to seven games in the first round of the playoffs. With the Islanders improved and the Philadelphia Flyers adding Eric Lindros, the Devils now might miss the playoffs.

“I’ve been in this division before,” Brooks said.

“The Islanders ruled the NHL but it wasn’t as tough top to bottom as it is now. . . . There’s going to be no place to hide.”