Robinson: Coaching cart before the horse

The Canadiens are not shopping for a head coach. That is, unless incumbent Bob Gainey is quietly doing so, having reasonably decided that general managership of this season’s underachieving band and its imminent gaggle of unrestricted free agents is ample work.

Former NHL coach Marc Crawford has called Gainey to inquire about the job, though he’s reportedly been told nothing’s happening until George Gillett decides whether he’ll keep or sell the club. So, too, has former coach Bob Hartley’s name surfaced.

In recent days, in the vein of making news where none exists, Robinson has been floated by some in the Montreal media as a man who would be keenly interested in the head coaching position.

And why wouldn’t he be, the rumours wondered. It would be a homecoming for the former coach of the New Jersey Devils and Los Angeles Kings, who played 1,405 often brilliant games for the Canadiens from 1972-89 to see his No. 19 finally retired to Bell Centre rafters in 2007.

But hold your horses, Robinson offered gently yesterday while suggesting that “(Gainey) might have pulled the trigger a little early” on Guy Carbonneau. “I thought Carbo did a great job.”

Robinson says he’s spoken to no one in the Canadiens organization about a job here. He’s under contract until September as a Devils special assignment coach, strongly loyal to that club and to Lou Lamoriello, its president, chief executive and general manager.

And while Robinson says he’s not dismissing anything or anyone, the 57-year-old said yesterday “my allegiance is still, right now, to the Devils. I’m employed by them and until that changes, I’m committed to Lou and his group. Before I talk to anybody, I first have to clear things up with Lou.”

Robinson expects he’ll discuss the future with Lamoriello before the NHL’s June 26-27 entry draft in Montreal. Ethically, he says the right thing for anyone to do before approaching him would be to talk to the Devils boss.

“That’s how it should work,” Robinson said. “They know I’ve been (with the Devils) for a long, long time. Whenever anybody has been interested in me, and it’s happened with a couple of teams, they’ve called Lou and he’s called me so I could decide whether to pursue it.”

Robinson walked away from coaching the Devils 32 games into the 2005-06 season, plagued by severe headaches spawned by the flu and sinus problems that remain a reminder of his rugged, nose-broken career. He also was stressed by his mediocre team and by the birth of twin grandsons to his daughter, Rachelle.

It was Robinson’s second tour of Devils rescue duty, having stepped in the previous autumn for cancer-stricken Pat Burns. Earlier, he had led the Devils to the 2000 Stanley Cup as a late-season replacement for the fired Robbie Ftorek before himself being relieved less than two seasons later.

In recent seasons he’s been a consultant of sorts, fine-tuning Devils farmhands and shaping young prospects.

But at least part of this season was a nightmare when Robinson was broadsided by shingles in his left eye, a virus that he believes slipped through a weakened immune system. He was bedridden in a dark room for three days, unable to eat, practically unable to move.

“It was the worst pain I’ve ever had, with anything,” Robinson said, including the horribly shattered leg he suffered playing polo in the summer of 1987. “Even after I got it under control with medication, I still didn’t have complete relief until maybe 15 trips to an acupuncturist.”

He hopes for encouraging words when he visits his doctor next week, at which time he’ll have a better handle on his future.

“Before I make any kind of decision or do anything, I’ve got to make sure my health is good,” Robinson said.

“I’d like to stay in hockey in some capacity, whether as head coach, assistant coach – not so much head coach – or in a consulting role. You never want to close any doors. You don’t want to just sit at home and do nothing. All I’ve ever known has been hockey.”

A perfect calling for Robinson in the Canadiens family would be in player development. But again, that’s putting a Montreal buggy before a New Jersey pony for a man who clearly has his priorities in order.

Just recently, a young woman and young man whom Robinson had met through friends died almost within hours of being diagnosed with cancer.

“You never know,” he said, having lost his brother, Brian, to the disease four years ago. “You have to live every day to its fullest and that’s what I’ve been doing.

“I’m just going to hang out, see what happens at the end of the season and then we’ll go from there.”