Nov 14, 2008 - 5:37 PM
0 shoutsTAMPA, Florida (Ticker) -- In a stunning move, the Tampa Bay Lightning on Friday fired coach Barry Melrose.
Associate coach Rick Tocchet was named as Melrose's replacement on an interim basis.
After 12 years as an analyst, Melrose returned to the coaching ranks on June 23 when he was hired in Tampa by the new ownership group headed by Hollywood producer Oren Koules and former NHL player Len Barrie.
"This was a tough decision to make," general manager Brian Lawton said. "Barry is a good man and we have a great deal of respect for him. We wish him nothing but success. However, the results were unacceptable and the players have to understand that we need to be better. Hopefully this change helps push them."
However, Melrose was given a mere 16 games into his tenure before being shown the door. Tampa Bay (5-7-4), which has lost three straight games, is 13th in the Eastern Conference with 14 points.
"I would've liked to have more time to turn things around," Melrose said in an interview with ESPN.
In his previous coaching stint from 1992-95, Melrose spent three seasons with the Los Angeles Kings, leading them to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1993.
Melrose became the second coaching casualty of the season, joining Denis Savard, who was fired after just four games in Chicago.
The Lightning's slow start comes on the heels of an offseason spending spree from Koules and Barrie. Without an identity and seemingly making roster moves on a daily basis, the Lightning have scored a league-low 34 goals.
Tocchet, who returned to the NHL in February after serving a two-year suspension for gambling, was tabbed as an assistant on Melrose's staff on July 9.
"We think this is a great opportunity for him and we believe he's the type of coach who can take the team to the next level," Lawton said. "Our players have a great deal of respect for him."
On February 7, 2006, Tocchet was placed on a leave of absence from his position as the Phoenix Coyotes' associate coach following accusations that he was involved in a massive gambling ring based in southern New Jersey.
Tocchet was reinstated by NHL commissioner Gary Bettman exactly two years later and returned to his post with the Coyotes. In May 2007, he pleaded guilty to third-degree charges of conspiracy and promoting gambling.
A lengthy investigation that began in October 2005 revealed a sports betting ring that processed more than 1,000 wagers and grossed $1.7 million on professional and college sporting events. Among the clientele was Janet Jones, wife of Phoenix coach Wayne Gretzky.
Tocchet has 25 years of experience in the NHL as a player and coach. He had an 18-year playing career, registering 952 points with six teams. Tocchet won a Stanley Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1992 and reached the Finals with the Philadelphia Flyers in 1997.
