Lightning fire Melrose, replace him with Tocchet
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) _ A hard-nosed and aggressive player on the ice during an 18-year career, Rick Tocchet also was once suspended from the NHL because of his involvement in a sports betting ring.
Now, he’s the interim coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning, replacing former television analyst Barry Melrose — fired Friday just 16 games into his second tour of duty as a head coach in the league.
Tocchet, sentenced to two years’ probation in August 2007 after pleading guilty in a gambling investigation, joined the Lightning as associate coach in July. He has said he never bet on NHL games.
After announcing the move, general manager Brian Lawton called Tocchet a “very straightforward individual” who is well-respected in the league. He’s counting on him to do what Melrose couldn’t: elevate a club that’s off to a 5-7-4 start after finishing with the league’s worst record last season.
The Lightning will play their first game under Tocchet on Sunday at Carolina.
“He has excellent accountability factor. He’s very structured and very organized in his approach. … I think everybody from the players’ standpoint will have to look at themselves in the mirror and then take this opportunity as a fresh start,” Lawton said.
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.
He rejoined Phoenix’s coaching staff in February 2008 after a two-year absence that included the gambling suspension by 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.”
Melrose’s dismissal came less than 24 hours after the Lightning allowed three third-period goals in a 4-3 loss to Detroit and three days after the coach stayed away from practice after admonishing players for poor play during a team meeting.
The motivational ploy didn’t work. The Lightning lost to Florida 4-0 on Wednesday and followed that with another mistake-filled loss to the Red Wings.
Lawton said there was no one reason for the firing.
“It’s a very instant world that we live in now. … Opportunities a lot of times are shortened. Certainly, expectations play into that,” the GM said. “The response (to Melrose) has not been favorable. And that’s disappointing.”
Lawton stressed during a conference call that Melrose’s decision to skip practice Tuesday did not cost the coach his job, adding the firing was a culmination of “events” that had been accumulating since before the season began.
“I was not happy with the direction of our hockey club,” Lawton said. “Ultimately, I have to take as much responsibility as anybody. I am. We’re going to make a change, and we’re going to move forward.”
The Lightning have lost three straight games, dropping to fourth in the Southeast Division. Despite the presence of Martin St. Louis, Vincent Lecavalier and No. 1 draft pick Steven Stamkos, 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.
“Part of the message, and I feel very strongly, is our club is better than our record,” Lawton said. “Players need to take notice. … They need to respond.”
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 title in 2004.
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.
“For me, it’s not about the wins and losses every night. … It’s certainly part of the equation, but it’s not all of it,” Lawton said. “It has to do with philosophically where we’re going, where we’re at today, where we’re going tomorrow and where we’re going to be in three months or a year.”
The GM doesn’t expect Tocchet to be a quick fix.
“We’re not that naive,” Lawton said. “Although we’d all like miracles … that’s not going to happen. Players are going to need some time to understand what he’s trying to get at.”
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press.