Tampa Bay Lightning fires coach Barry Melrose

The Tampa Bay Lightning today fired coach Barry Melrose, after 16 games, and named associate coach Rick Tocchet the head coach.

From the team:

Tampa Bay Lightning Head Coach Barry Melrose has been relieved of his duties and Associate Coach Rick Tocchet has been elevated to interim head coach, Executive Vice President & General Manager Brian Lawton announced today. Melrose, 52, was named the sixth head coach in Lightning history on June 24, and compiled a 5-7-4 record this season.

“This was a tough decision to make,” 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.

“As for Rick Tocchet, 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. Our players have a great deal of respect for him.”

Tocchet is in his 25th year in the NHL as either a player or a coach. He played 18 seasons with Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Los Angeles, Boston, Washington and Phoenix, appearing in 1,144 career games and recording 440 goals, 952 points and 2,972 penalty minutes.  He also appeared in 145 playoff games and netted 52 goals with 112 points and 471 penalty minutes.

Shortly after retiring in 2002, Tocchet joined the Colorado Avalanche as an assistant coach.  He spent a season and a half on the bench with the Avalanche before joining former teammate Wayne Gretzky as an assistant coach with the Phoenix Coyotes in 2005. He was named associate coach of the Lightning on July 9, 2008.

Tocchet is one of two players in the history of the NHL to record 400 goals or more and at least 2,500 penalty minutes.  He recorded three 40-goal seasons, two 30-goal seasons and was an 11-time 20-goal scorer. In 1992-93 he set career highs for goals with 48, assists with 61 and points with 109 with the Penguins.  Internationally, Tocchet represented Canada at the 1990 and 1991 World Championship as well as in the 1987 and 1991 Canada Cup tournaments.

The Scarborough, Ontario native won the Stanley Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1992 and appeared in the Stanley Cup Finals with Philadelphia in 1987.  He was selected to four NHL All-Star teams (1989, 1990, 1991, 1993). Originally drafted by Philadelphia in the sixth-round, 125th overall, at the 1983 NHL Entry Draft, Tocchet began his career with the Flyers in 1984-85 and retired midway through the 2001-02 season, also with Philadelphia.

Melrose spent three seasons (1992-95) as the head coach in Los Angeles, leading the Kings to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time in 1993. Melrose began his coaching career in 1987 when he led the Western Hockey League’s Medicine Hat Tigers to a 44-22-6 record and the Memorial Cup title. Melrose also coached the Seattle Thunderbirds for the 1988-89 season and the Adirondack Red Wings of the American Hockey League for three seasons (1989-92). Melrose guided the Red Wings to the Calder Cup championship in 1991. Prior to joining the Lightning, Melrose served as NHL studio analyst for ESPN and ESPN2.

Comments

[coach bill]

Wow! this must a record # of comments for one article.It deserved it. Danielle- I too read alot and don't post that much. It took me 1/2 hour this morning to read the whole page. I love reading comments I don't agree with. It expands your comprehension. I don't keep up with Forbes's ratings, so thanks Flasher( great sitting with you Thurs.) You can sift through the constant critics that come across as experts but say nothing informative. Craig- I think they DID totally disregard Melrose.The team shouldn't have to be motivated to at least hit ( esp. our hitters like R2 and Grats) they've really quieted down. Agree with Bill ( nice name BTW). Coach did not get the most of his players and the GM is a problem. Good posts McGz Lean Mean- I have to disagree with you buddy on your seeing a "trap" defense. Just the opposite I think. A trap requires holding the neutral zone with wings that backcheck feverishly and pick up their respective wingers. The end result is supposed to keep the puck OUT of our end of the ice. I didn't see that at all.Tundo- good attitute( you blasted me last year for my questioning on why V4 was playing so much in our last 2 games,risking an injury( which did happen by the way). You're answer was that "he's a hockey player.That's why" You were right on with what an athlete should should feel. I was questioning the coaching merit. Point being- where is that desire now with V4? What happened to him and the others? Why have Grats and R2 been so passive?The Panthers were goating R2 and pushing him around after the whistle. Why didn't he just simply hurt them? Smitty's little fight and Kolzig's temper tantrum Thurs night was their way to try to fire up the team. Good for them!! We've been saying right along our problem is in leadership. Barry had to go, the C isn't C-ing ( He really needs another C to pick him up). Our present owners DO care in my opinion. They've spent alot of $ on us so we could have an exciting team. If you went to the Ice Fest you know what I mean. They're trusting their friends Lawton and Melrose to make it happen. Wrong picks and I think they realize it. Some of the posters here are really knowledgeable. It wouldn't be a bad idea to consult with them and others for imput. On that note- welcome back Ajax. Go Bolts!

[hockeytalkie]

Bob,
if they do it, you're my witness in the lawsuite i file. LOL. they can have all the royalties so long as we get our team back!

i actually sent the following EM to my ticket rep after they sent us that SAW IV promo e-blast. (buy game tix get free tix to the SAW premiere)

"is this what we've been reduced to; an audience for your boss's crappy B movies as he attempts to boost his future HOFer autograph collection?"

richards for smith/jussi/halpern was a great deal. prospal for picard was also pretty damn good. shores up the D. recchi signing was good, but roberts? dude is one of 3 NHLers older than me! nothing but a fossil collecting a paycheck.

dumping boyle, Luke37, kuba and picard, then OB? we actually could be WINNING games 1-0 and 2-1 with that D. boyle looks like a norris trophy finalist. and kuba will be top 5 in votes if he keeps it up. like torts said "hellava deal for Ottawa"

[Bob]

Many of us here questioned most of the moves and tactics early on by the train wreck of OK Railroad. First hiring Mulletman, then finding out about the ulterior motives in trades like Boyle, and (IMO) several of the signings were not good moves for what we gave up.

The whole group is a bunch of amateurs. I say let's have some bake sales so we can raise enough money to by the team.

Apparently OK thinks the NHL is a movie script that he can change the ending with a pen. Please sell the team to a group that knows what they are doing.

Even though our record sucked last season, at this point in the season there was hope things could turn around (if we only played home games last season).

I like the bobblehead idea in the Azz Clown movie. Hockeytalkie you're busted! I bet you are really OK trying to run a movie ideas past us to see what we think. LOL

[hockeytalkie]

just went to bolts website and they already took down the listing for Barry's feb 12 bobblehead night vs the Leafs. so what are they going to do with 10,000 useless bobbleheads now? put them in a movie? A** CLOWNS!

hahahahaha classic

[hockeytalkie]

Hey OK,

so how's that Boyle and Kuba/Picard trade working out for ya? great move bringing Prospal back too (ha), clearly was done to appease VL4. last year TBLs problems were in net and Boyle missing 50 games. Goaltending was shored up to be sure with the Smitty/Richards deal and Kolzig. but the rest of these moves were a joke. by all means, effectively disband a top 10 PP unit and ignore defense.

when you have turnover in ownership, coaching AND 70% of roster all at the same time what you get is an expansion team. good luck in the movie-biz OK, 'cause you sure don't know hockey.

btw, it looks like torts' so called "sour grapes" comment were right on the money regarding these A** CLOWNS! glad he and the others all made it to the life rafts.

melrose said at his intro press conference "we can't do any worse than last year" i guess he was wrong.

[As the Mapleleaf Turns, So Does the Lightning Flash]

Boltflasher:

How could Barry show less class in leaving than his profoundly petulant predecessor? Melrose is, after all, a grown-up.

The ex-ESPN luminary must now take his fancy wardrobe, his glib hockey chatter, and his famous mullet "do" somewhere else. He doesn't want to show his anger. After all, where did it get him when he unloaded his bile on the Lightning players?

Can you believe the amazingly insane hockey soap opera that is rolling on, ad infinitum, with this team in this town?

The Tampa franchise is becoming America's answer to the Toronto Mapleleafs.

[Boltflasher]

Classy comments from Barry regarding his firing. He blamed no one and took full responsibility. I did not think he should have been the coach to start with, but he showed a lot more class upon his departure than his predecessor...

[Kipp]

I agree with everything ITTBK said. I just hope they don't tinker with the roster too much more, I'm tired of relearning our team every night and I think the players are too.

[If The Truth Be Known]

Look for Downie to be brought up almost immediately. Place no stock in the efforts to bring Sundin to Tampa. By midseason Tocchet's interim status will disappear and he will receive a contract as head coach of the Lightning.

Barry Melrose was dismissed after 16 games because it became apparent that he could not effectively lead this team. There was no perceived prospect of turning things around. The friction between Barry and his players was becoming progressively ugly. This was no secret to Lawton, Koules, and Barrie.

More changes in player personnel are coming soon, but it is not yet clear what they will be.

[If The Truth Be Known]

Look for Downie to be brought up almost immediately. Place no stock in the efforts to bring Sundin to Tampa. By midseason Tocchet's interim status will disappear and he will receive a contract as head coach of the Lightning.

Barry Melrose was dismissed after 16 games because it became apparent that he could not effectively lead this team. There was no perceived prospect of turning things around. The friction between Barry and his players was becoming progressively ugly. This was no secret to Lawton, Koules, and Barrie.

More changes in player personnel are coming soon, but it is not yet clear what they will be.

[madman]

Two problems in the Lightning now Lawton and the defense he has provided us this year. Now that Melrose is gone bring up the youngsters and let them delevlope. No more trades until end of the year just let things play out. All the 1 year contracts will help the Lightning get younger and better in the future. I'm from Detroit and they are my second team. I've been a Lightning season ticket holder for 14 years and seen many moves; so I'm ready to watch this team through bad times until they get better. Build the defense and we will get better.

[Larry David]

Did I mention Owners are BIG FAT LIARS ??

"Both Barrie and coach Barry Melrose said it did not happen.

"What a joke. I mean, come on," Barrie said. "We've got four capable coaches to do that. The day we don't think they are capable of handling that is the day I don't go into the locker room to diagram plays but to make a change (at coach)."

"Al is sort of a spaghetti salesman," Melrose said. "Al just throws so much against the wall and hopes something sticks. It's B.S. Al thrives on B.S. It's total lies."

Strachan said his anonymous source was a Lightning player. Asked if that bothered him, Melrose said, "Well, if it is, then the liar is in the dressing room. If that's the case, yeah, I'd be worried about that. But I can't worry about that. If a guy is a liar, he's a liar."

Wow, just wow.

[Larry David]

Ouch,

Not only are the owners clueless, they are also BIG FAT LIARS, imagine that.

[Al Strachan]

"Veteran hockey writer Al Strachan reported that sources told him that during the Lightning's season-opening weekend in Europe, co-owner and former NHLer Barrie was in the dressing room diagramming power-play and penalty-killing strategies. Strachan suggested the Bolts were "imploding" and that "the league over/under" on Melrose was mid-November."

"Koules said there are no plans to make changes with the coaching staff. "We're actually very happy."

BWAHHHAHA !! :)

[DSB]

PD- Such a useless ranting fool. I have seen many like you in the past. A cancer claiming your support of almost anything in life while you do your best to create animosity and discontent. You try to bring it down then revel in it as you proclaim you knew it would happen. If the Lightning are, as you say, finished then fine leave the blog and find one in Hamilton. No need for your nonsense here anymore. Maybe you can start attacking Hamilton before they get a team. That way, if they don't, you can blame the NHL and the city and everyone else and say you knew it was coming.
To all the true fans and bloggers I apologize for the nasty post. I have stayed away for quite a while but it is just to annoying to pass up anymore.
Listen, teams make mistakes and go through bad times. EVERY team does. All I can say is I will enjoy hockey and support my team until they turn it around or until they leave. Many of our older fans have had the pleasure of watching a down and out team go from the bottom to the top. It is that much sweeter when they do.

[Boltflasher]

By COL I mean Columbus, not Colorado...

[Boltflasher]

But yes, 24 teams is a possibility. I agree. But, I thing TB will be one of them. The 6 out?...FL, ATl, CRL, PHO, NAS, and COL...TB was ranked ahead of all those markets by Forbes...

[Boltflasher]

PD, I disagree about your TB Rays comment that it can't happen in NHL. It won't be easily done but could happen. If your Leafs do it this year, they will have done it with young talent from a good minor league, without a superstar and after an even longer period of abstinence than the Rays...

[PD]

Time for your valium and cookies Ajax.

Funny the Bucs have to be one of the sorriest lifetime franchises in the league. They followed the TBay model to a tee for about 10 years in a row.. in the basement with those orange shirts didnt they for 1 win? Try it works.

BTW Ajax Toronto is in the NFL, the fins and Ricky are in town next month. Be good to see him again, he is actually a pretty together guy.

[Coach Messier]

Have a chip. Now!!
When I'm with my wife and about to climax she just says TB Lightning and I burst out laughing and then I'm okay to go.
This team is rebuilding on defence and with Stamkos but has a wicked goalie on the cheap. Should be making deep playoff run every year but nope. Either upgrade now or blow up the team. This team is horribly trapped in the past and the future. Has no chi. This team is suffering bad, suicidal. Thinking of the days past and looking wistfully at the future so far away. This team cannot be. It is rebuilding to slow to be dynasty and just crappy enough to miss playoffs.
In Vietnam monks burned themselves to death to attract attention. Where are the true fans???

[PD]

Revenue sharing is the key BF
The wealthy franchises were happy to share if the value of their own franchises kept climbing and revenue from new franchises could be divied up. Those days are long gone and why would Ed Snider want to prop up Columbus if it was money out the door with non back?
Will never happen.

The NHL will be 24 teams within 3-4 years and much stronger for it in the business sense and entertainment value.

on the rays dont forget they spent 10 years in the basement for their moment in the sun..cant be done in hockey.

[ajax]

I guess what you are saying PD is that 8 maybe 12 franchises are folding? Florida, Washington, Islanders, Ducks Phoenix, even New Jersey and Atlanta have been somehow manageing to stay afloat with years of 12-13-14k per night. Don't start celebrating yet PD. If they do leave are you going to bash the Rays blog or Bucs blog with all of your free time. Somehow in your world I can see it now, Toronto Argonauts whip Tampa Bay Buccaneers 42-17. The NFL is probably just afraid to put Toronto in their whimpy league. Thank-God I don't blog the Rays, I am sure I would have had to sift thru a zillion of your posts on how the Blue Jays are primed for the future and the Rays just got lucky!! They have a crappy stadium, cheap dimestore owners and are moving to Boise, Idaho, as soon as the fair weather koolaid drinkers see the real truth. The truth according to PD, I just can't wait for the next hour of the "convenient truth"

[Casey Fraites]

Really ? that is how we turned this team around? Wow. who is this lawton guy ? I thought Gigsaw was only in the movies not in the NHL we are a joke around the league . This team needs to let hockey people with a brain run this team if there smart we hire bryan burke fast I really don't feel like Melrose, he deserved to be fired because this team is screwed up from the get go they fix the goal tending but screw up the defense and load up on too many fowards so when you behind like last night you can't fight your way back effectively, besides what did they really exspect from this team?

[Boltflasher]

Actually, with all the 1 year contracts the Bolts have, they are setup to handle a decreased cap next year better than some of the others, the Flyers are not as pointed out by the article. The decreased CAP may in fact help the Bolts slightly: "If the salary cap drops, that will in turn help out those small U.S. markets because it would mean the salary floor would also drop meaning they could reduce their expenses. It’s interesting how some teams may in fact benefit from a falling Canadian dollar and slowing economy"... however, they would lose in revenue sharing. I worry about the league as a whole and will there be yet another work stoppage to do another CBA? I think we may end up with a two-tiered league with the very good and the awful with not much in between with little parity unless you develop Tampa Bay Rays like hockey teams...talent but young talent that will move on to the upper tiered teams after their initial contracts...

[jones68]

Brian don't be silly, Koules created this whole financial mess to move to Hamilton.

[PD]

Ajax the owners have no clothes..pretty much game set match.
They never should have been given /loaned the franchise

Tampa is a bandwagon town and the Rays are the new bandwagon especially given the Fla economy as Brian nails.

9500 seasons tickets sold, no coprorate support , no Tv worth squat.
Big payroll, big nut to pay Davidson..what am I missing Ajax?

[Brian]

No jobs = no money for games. If I had a job, I would be going to games win or lose. The owners should un load their payroll and start fresh. Look at Tampa's eveonomy around it. Unemployment at a 6.7 % high.When people are working, people are going to games. When there are housing starts, people are going to games. When the legislature rejects a 25 % increase in power rates, people can go to games. When the insurance rates are slashed for homes and auto, people can go to games. When ownership decides to make smart decisions about the coaches and recruiting the right players, people will go to games. We are all caught up in this circus mess right now and have to press on. All I ask the players is to give 100% effort. The whole team is new and V4 and Marty are not given the time to be effective with not having playing time with all of these new guys.

[ajax]

A small market, in a horrible economy, with a losing team and last year we were top 10 in Attendance. Yeah once again you geniuses have really weeded out the "real" truth. There are about 15 teams in the NHL that probably have the same problems we do. I guess they all have idiot owners like we do. Please inform us why Ottawa is down since you know the real truth as usual. Buffalo has a great record this year and is down a bunch. Some of you would post, I went to that cafe last Monday and no one was there, the place must stink. Then later someone else has to point out that they are closed on Monday's. Always twisting the facts to make everything look so horrible. Spread your doom in gloom in your closet when you are convincing yourselves how horrible the world is. I guess I would be bitter too if I had an unlimited checkbook for 40 years and had to wipe the Habs butt for an eternity.

[Sol]

This ownership group is an absolute joke...end of story.

I said this over the summer when they decided to totally disabandon defense and signed 4 offensive minded free agents. You don't win in the NHL without defense.

[PD]

Caps have done a great job with that franchise. They obviously enjoy the home cooking too 7-0

Leafs are right on track with the kids and the payroll. Burke is the perfect guy to take it from here.
You know what a good coach Wilson is.

They have lucky too getting maybe the best pick in the draft Schenn and Grabovski from the Habs.

[Tammy]

Wow this looks like the way a Leaf Fan writes on a typical Toronto blog with all experts (but our comments are valid). Maybe that is where Melrose got his ideas lets hope we are not doomed to play like them all season!

[Steve R]

PD, last year in the midst of 6-14-1 start, the Caps still had 13-14k in the stands. No argument, wins = people in the stands = profit, but the die hards will still show up no matter how bad the product is = Leafs (I kid, cheap shot, the kids look good).

[bob]

Barry just as happy to get out of that circus Lawton is problem different player every week.Bet bolts finish last again any takers see the coach!

[PD]

Great win tonight StevR and to my point.For the southern teams Winning fills seats and losing is a disaster in this economy.

[PD]

Heh Flasher that is a helluva article,thx. You are on top of this stuff.
Without question there will be a strong contraction and the power will swing back to the richer clubs.

Bob McCown was quoted and referenced by a fewbloggers
"I think Bob McCown on Fan590 was right the other day to speculate about teams folding overnight. With frozen credit markets, the easy loans that sustain money-losing teams will disappear. And the owners’ incentive to keep such teams afloat — increasing franchise value — will markedly reverse if it hasn’t already done so."

I think thats very true.
If you get a chance listen to MCown online MF 4-6, best stuff 5-6 on fan590.com live streaming. its excellent most days.Today's podcast is available and they were talking about the Bolts and the payroll.

[Brian]

I knew something had to give.The owners should stay out of the way. No al davis hockey. Doesn't work.Make the right choices again. Get some coaches in here that know hockey,pay attention to details, and get the right match ups on the ice. Assistant coaches under Mike Babcock. Someone needs to get these guys moving. The coach has to constantly be in their face getting them ready for games!!! Thats the bottom line. Mike Babcock's coaching is whatwe need. However, they have more talent than us. I thought we wanted to keep the core of the team here!! I thought we wanted to stop the revolving door here. You don't win fans by trading their #1 defenseman in the league. Either you want to win now, or you rebuild it with all top draft picks and you get something for trading them. I'll give you Boyle for Carle, then trade hime away for cap space. That's just not smart,don't you think? What the hell are we doing? You need to give the fans closure on what you are doing in some way.. We won the cup just four years ago. Now we are terrible.

[Steve R]

ajax,

I've been to all of the Caps home games this season & the smallest crowd was 17K. Just sayin'.

[Steve R]

So, does this mean that the Bolts aren't going to win the SE?

[ajax]

I have seen lots of 10,000 crowds around the NHL this year. That isn't the fault of any owner genius. It is the state of the world. Some people think they are a genius to know the real truth behind lower crowds "LEAGUE WIDE". Some folks also think Canada carries the NHL with revenue, but of course the reality of that, was just the value of the US dollar. So many geniuses when twisting the incomplete facts. Buffalo's attendance down 1400, Ottawa's down 1200. Yes right in the middle of God loving Hockey country, Ottawa is down 1200 fans per night. What idiot owners they must have, not to have foreseen the world recession!!!! Dallas is down after going to the conference semifinals, what idiot owners!!! And last, Pittsburgh with some of the greatest players in the world, fresh off a Stanley Cup Final, down in attendance. What idiot owners!!! For everyone of you who hate the new owners and their hands on attempts of fixing the crap they bought, just keep saying Bill Davidson until you wake up and realize he was the nightmare that got us to ground zero. Would you rather have your kids trying like heck and failing along the way (I would) or your kid just sitting on the couch waiting for someone to bring them a feast($$$$)(see Davidson)
The Davidson group didn't care one fricking bit about us. They dangled us and let us die on the vine all for a pretty profit, and some of you hope they get it back for round two of, "We will continue to what is best for the team" Yeah like sit on your Gucci wallets and let the team drown while you ware waiting for the next cashiers check. Some of you have extremely short memories of last October when day after day Sargeant Jay would stroll to the microphone and say, "I know nothing, I see nothing, I say nothing"

[Alexandra]

Well im not sure if this was the best move to make. It seems there is no stability in Tampa and Melrose was a scapegoat. However, was there conflict between him and some top forwards????? If the team is to go anywhere, the owners and Lawton need to find some patience and let the players play in a stable environment, not one where they're thinking "Who's next to go?"

[Boltflasher]

and a more somber note: Financial Crisis: What does the future hold for the NHL?

http://www.hockeyanalysis.com/?p=786

[Boltflasher]

Yeah, probably so on that one.

[Pd]

That is funny, especially Lowe with the flowers.
I think the deal gets done quickly now in TO.
Next week tops.

[Boltflasher]

Funny stuff about possible "new jobs" for Brian Burke: http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog/BD-Gallof/Possible-Jobs-for-Former-GM-Brian-Burke/85/17875

[Frank]

Ah, 2004 seems so long ago. When oh when will Gary Bettman return the NHL to people who know what they're doing?

[et]

The owners never wanted Melrose to coach this team, they only wanted him for a few months of publicity, this was all pre-planned by Koules and Barrie.

[Danielle]

I know Don... I've read this blog for some time, but rarely post. These things just get my blood boiling.
It's just ridiculous that when we had the previous ownership, people complained about them being tightwads. That our coach was a big jerk. Our GM had no idea what he was doing. This was wrong, that was wrong. I have a very, very difficult time believing any of the moves OK hockey have been with malicious intent, nor do I believe these people are stupid. I've said it before, and I'll say it again. The rebuilding process involves actual REBUILDING and trial and error. It's 16 games into the season. Relatively early. None of us have any idea of what's going to happen, so why not have optimism? It takes too much energy to point the fingers. Especially when a LOT of us have neither A-owned a team, been a general manager or a coach, or B- even played hockey. Our team is TOO good to crash and burn. I believe all of us can agree to that. So just sit back and enjoy the ride.
And if you don't want to spend your money to "watch this circus", fine by me. I'd rather not be surrounded by idiots during games, anyway.

[PD]

You are so right Don, after what those guys did here they should have taken being disrespected by rank amateurs with a little more class.

[JC]

Hiring Melrose brought back images of the Gong Show or something Espo would do as a stunt. I hope Barry realizes that sitting on a ESPN show and second guessing everyone is a lot easier that actually running a team. He was a bum in LA and still remains a bum!

[Tim]

Barry is a good hockey man did well every where he went did`t get much of a chance he has good ideas could have been another Cliff Fletcher if given the chance takes more than a few games to get a team on the winning track they were a long way from that last year. Interested fan in Ontario witha lighting plate cover on bumper.