With eight games left in the regular season, Robbie Ftorek was fired by the Devils on March 23, despite a 41-20-8-5 record. General manager Lou Lamoriello wasn't happy with the way the team was playing heading into the playoffs. Robinson went 4-4-0-0 in eight games to finish out the season. The Devils, the No. 4 seed, swept the Florida Panthers in the first round - New Jersey had been the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference the previous three seasons, losing twice in the first round and once in the second round -- before defeating the Toronto Maple Leafs in six games and coming back from a 3-1 series deficit against the Philadelphia Flyers in the conference final. The Devils then defeated the Dallas Stars on a double-overtime goal by Jason Arnott in Game 6. New Jersey went 16-7 in the playoffs under Robinson to win its second Stanley Cup.
1971: Montreal Canadiens (Al MacNeil)
With the Canadiens (11-8-4) struggling and having missed the playoffs the previous season, Claude Ruel resigned 23 games into the season and was replaced by MacNeil. He led the Canadiens to third place in the East Division with a 31-15-9 record in 55 regular-season games, before riding rookie goalie Ken Dryden to playoff series wins against the Boston Bruins, Minnesota North Stars, and Chicago Blackhawks in the Cup Final.
1932: Toronto Maple Leafs (Dick Irvin)
After starting the season 0-3-2, the Maple Leafs fired coach Art Duncan and replaced him with Irvin, who went 23-15-5 the rest of the regular season. Irvin had led the Chicago Black Hawks to the Stanley Cup Final the season before but was fired after they were defeated by the Canadiens. The Maple Leafs, under Irvin, finished second in the Canadian Division, four points behind the Canadiens, defeating the Black Hawks in the first round and the Montreal Maroons in the second round before defeating the New York Rangers in the Cup Final.