NHL NOTEBOOK

After a 28-year run, Lou Lamoriello is stepping down as the New Jersey Devils general manager and handing the job to Ray Shero. The 72-yearold Lamoriello announced the change Monday, noting that he will remain as president of hockey operations. He said he has considered stepping down for a while and that he was not forced out by ownership after missing the playoffs the past three seasons. Lamoriello has led the Devils since 1987, guiding them to three Stanley Cup titles, five Eastern Conference titles and nine division championships in 21 playoff appearances.

David Desharnais did not travel to Florida with the Montreal Canadiens because of illness, but coach Michel Therrien did not rule out the centre playing in Game 3 against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday night. Desharnais has an illness that prevented him from flying with the rest of the team Monday after missing Game 2 on Sunday. With an extra day off before the series resumes, there’s time for Desharnais to make the trip himself. “Before I make any decisions regarding the lineup, I need to find out if David is going to be available to play,” Therrien said on a conference call Monday. “There’s a possibility that he’ll be there Wednesday night, but we’re not quite sure yet.” Brian Flynn replaced Desharnais in the lineup for Game 2, a 6-2 loss at Bell Centre. Moose season has opened again in Manitoba. True North Sports and Entertainment announced Monday the Winnipeg Jets’ American Hockey League affiliate will be called the Manitoba Moose, the same name the team had when it played in Winnipeg prior to the arrival of the Jets. The Moose played in Winnipeg from 1996 to 2011, then headed to St. John’s, N.L., to become the IceCaps when the NHL’s Atlanta Thrashers relocated to Winnipeg for the 2011-12 season.