The most tenured coach in New York/New Jersey professional sports is going to be sticking around with his team much longer.

The Devils have given John Hynes, who had been under contract through the 2018-19 season, a multi-year extension, according to a team source. The team, which is in the middle of a four-game road trip after losing 5-4 in Dallas on Wednesday night, announced the news on Thursday morning.

“John’s leadership has been instrumental in building both culture and systems that are focused on the development of our players,” general manager Ray Shero said in a statement from the team. “He has cultivated a group of veteran leaders, while helping our young players develop and gain experience. John is to be commended for the progress the team has made under his direction and this commitment shows that we are confident in the role he will play in our future success.”

Hynes, who was hired in June 2015 after five seasons with the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, has a 125-122 record with the team. He led the Devils to their first playoff spot in five years last season when the team used a hot start to propel it to the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference, with leading scorer Taylor Hall winning the Hart Trophy as the league’s MVP.

The team has not performed as well this season, with 37 points as the midpoint of the season approaches leaving it well out of a playoff position. But Shero was clear in an interview last month that he believed in Hynes' ability as coach.

“What I tried to do was hire someone that could grow with the team," Shero said on Dec. 20. "Not having coached in the NHL before, but having coached at a high level and players and personnel at the AHL in Wilkes-Barre. But it’s not the NHL as a head coach, and you have to earn things. You have to learn and adapt.

"The first year (in 2015-16) I thought was fantastic. The second year, there were some things we talked about, had some hard conversations. I told him, ‘Listen, this is not going to end well.' I think the world of him as a coach. But he’s always adapting and learning. It didn’t matter about our start last year at 8-2. I saw a different coach.”

Hynes, in an interview with NJ Advance Media, said he believed the Devils co-owners Joshua Harris and David Blitzer remained steadfast in the team’s plan to build this franchise into a consistent winner -- and wouldn’t waver even during the recent struggles this season.

“Pro sports is an emotional business, but you need a clear plan,” Hynes said. “Everything doesn’t go on a straight line to the top. There are dips, troubling times, good times, but it’s about the foundation we’re building here.”

Steve Politi may be reached at spoliti@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @StevePoliti. Find NJ.com on Facebook.