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Lightning Fire Head Coach Melrose

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The Associated Press

Published: November 14, 2008

Updated: 11/14/2008 07:29 pm

TAMPA - Barry Melrose's return to the NHL as coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning lasted 16 games. Now the job belongs to assistant Rick Tocchet.

Melrose was fired Friday less than five months after he left the television booth to coach a team that finished with the league's worst record last season.

"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."

Tocchet was promoted to interim head coach. He was sentenced to two years' probation in August 2007 after pleading guilty in a gambling investigation into a sports betting ring. Tocchet said he never bet on NHL games.

Tocchet rejoined Phoenix's coaching staff in February 2008 after a two-year absence that included a suspension by NHL commissioner Gary Bettman. Deputy commissioner Bill Daly said in an e-mail to The Associated Press that the league is not concerned about Tocchet's promotion.

"Rick is still bound by the terms of his reinstatement," Daly said. "If he's qualified to be an assistant coach on those terms, in our view, he's just as qualified to be a head coach."

The Lightning have lost three straight games, dropping to fourth in the Southeast Division. Despite the presence of Martin St. Louis and Vincent Lecavalier, Tampa Bay ranks last in goals in the NHL.

Melrose is the second NHL coach to be fired this season - the Chicago Blackhawks dismissed Denis Savard after four games.

Out of coaching for 13 years, Melrose was lured back to the bench by new Lightning owners Oren Koules and Len Barrie as a replacement for John Tortorella, who led Tampa Bay to its only Stanley Cup championship.

Melrose coached Los Angeles from 1992-95. In his first season, he helped the Wayne Gretzky-led Kings to the Stanley Cup finals, where they lost to the Montreal Canadiens. He spent 12 years at ESPN before taking over the Lightning.

At the time of his hiring, Melrose said his time in television enabled him to get a good read on what works in the NHL, as well as a "handle on the players that I would love to have in our organization when deals are made."

Koules and Barrie were the primary investors in a group that purchased the Lightning for $206 million. The roster was overhauled during the summer, but the team got off to a slow start and has shown few signs of improvement.

Tocchet has been in the NHL for 25 years as a player and coach. He played 18 seasons with Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Los Angeles, Boston, Washington and Phoenix and served as an assistant coach with Colorado, Phoenix and Tampa Bay.

"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."

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