Barry Melrose: 'I hope that Tampa Bay doesn't win a game the rest of the year'

Former Lightning coach Barry Melrose continued his verbal assault on the organization Tuesday, telling a Toronto radio station that he hopes the Lightning doesn't win another game this season and that first overall pick Steven Stamkos is not ready for the NHL.

In an interview with Don Landry and Gord Stellick on The Fan 590-AM, an all-sports talk radio station in Toronto, Melrose, who was fired after going 5-7-4 in 16 games, blasted Lightning management and players. He said he was fired because he would not let ownership and management run the team.

"Basically I had guys in Tampa that wanted to run the team and I wouldn't let them,'' Melrose said. "I was hired to coach and I coached. ... (But according to management) I wasn't playing the right guys and I was playing certain guys too much and I wasn't playing other guys enough. Every day was a constant battle. Finally, the guys in charge decided they wanted to coach and they got rid of me. That's what it comes down to. Obviously, it wasn't a hockey decision because it's not like they've set the world on fire since they got rid of me. ... Now they've got guys in charge that let them do what they want. And obviously that's not working out very well either.''

The Lightning is 1-6-4 since Melrose was fired and replaced by Rick Tocchet. When asked if it makes him feel "glee'' that the Lightning continues to struggle, Melrose dropped his most bitter comments.

"I'm not going to lie to you, yeah it does,'' Melrose said. "And any coach that says it doesn't is a liar. I hope that Tampa Bay doesn't win a game the rest of the year. But now saying that, there are couple of guys -- I actually like (owner) Oren Koules. I think Oren is a good guy. I think Oren is good for the NHL. He's putting his heart and soul into this team. I actually hope he does well.''

Melrose purposely avoided talking about co-owner Len Barrie and GM Brian Lawton, even when asked about them. As far as the players, Melrose said:

"I never really got close to any players in Tampa, whereas my other teams that I coached, I was always a players' coach. I really cared about my players. But the team in Tampa, I can really say there's only a couple of players that I actually cared for on that team. It was a weird team. It wasn't a Barry Melrose-type team and, obviously, it didn’t work out very well.''

Regarding Stamkos, Melrose said:

"Steven is not ready for the NHL,'' Melrose said. "Steven is going to be a good player, but right now he's just not strong enough physically to play against defensemen who are 6-3 or 6-4 that can skate as good as him. … He just can't check in his own end well enough. … Right now, Steven is not a great NHL player by any stretch of the imagination.''

Click here to hear the full interview on The Fan.

Comments

[James]

This Front Office has killed the Lightning for me. I won't shed a tear if I don't catch another game. However, I feel so bad for the boys who've been here for sometime and are used to loud home games and semi-winning attitudes.

This team is atrocious... from the top down.

[LC]

Barry may get his wish-doesn't look like they will win anytime soon.  Barry may not have been the selection, but he is right about Stamkos-although there really isn't any other choice now.  Tocchet is complete waste.  Players may skate a little harder once in a while, but his complaint is the same as Barry-no one ever at the net.  Also, there is little cohesion and players are forever in the wrong positions.  As far as GM, Lawton is clueless-look for head scratching moves in the near future.  Owners are coming out of the ether and wondering "what did we do?"  Look for Palace Sports to be back in control next year. Did I say "debt default"?

[D]

The Bolts just might not win another game. That's why it's time to continue dumping stiffs like Vrbata in favor of kids. They should bring them all up and rid themselves of garbage like Malik, Prospal and Jokinen. I've seen enough of Craig, too. If they're going to stink up the joint, do it with kids who care and go down swinging every night. There's nothing worse than watching lazy veterans mail it in every night.

[Ray]

Hey Melrose, the owners made a huge mistake hiring you in the first place, and this just proves it.

As one great coach once said, "SHUT YOUR YAP!"

[McGz]

Time still elapses in the NHL. If Stamkos is hitting the weights on off days and learning how to be a pro from G. Roberts et al, what else can he get from juniors?

[Boltflasher]

At the time Barry left I said that I thought he showed a lot more class than his predecessor by saying that he blamed no one other than himself...I now take back what I said then...

[PD]

McGZ he's 18 and growing..time brother.
and lots of carbs

[McGz]

On the B. Melrose topic, I don't agree on how the whole process went down. I believe he was hired as a publicity stunt. Mistake number 1. A GM should have been hired first. IF I were making a couple mil $ for a few months of (almost) work, I would be chillin on a beach somewhere, not spouting off at the mouth to some Canadian media outlet. Completely classless, and right on par for Melrose. What a douche bag.

[McGz]

PD, how is Stamkos going to 'get bigger' playing for team canada. Do they have some kind of legal steroid in Toronto to give the kid? Come on the only way he is going to mature and become a professional is to play with the big boys and take his lumps like everyone else.

People have been spoiled the last few years with the likes of Crosby and Ovechkin and Malkin. Who else domninates like them game in and game out that were drafted in the last five years? Only a handful of players in my mind. Most have to develop before they turn into stars ie MSL or V$.

[Boltflasher]

Waahhhhhh!!! WAAAHHHHH!! Go on Barry, cry me a handful all the way to the bank where your millions are that are being given to you by this ownership....What a crybaby! ...nobody ever said it would be easy...however, I agree Stamkos is not ready and ideally should be in AHL (along with Lundin)...Krajicek is useless. Malik is slow, like Smaby, but doesn't make the constant slew of bad passes that his teammates make and often has to lumber out of the position he should be in to go retrieve the loose puck or intercept the oncoming opponent due to his poor puck handling teammates. This is by far, the worst puckhandling team in the NHL amd makes them SO slow in addition to the slow guys they already have....

[hockeytalkie]

...well at least Melrose isn't bitter.
:-)

[PD]

Heh Brittany I'm not the GM and OK hockey has ruined the franchise so I'm hardly your problem.

On Stamkos, You dont play a boy against men Brittany, its rather simple.

There are 100's that have tried and failed.
He would have been much better served going back to Jr and getting bigger while playing for Team Canada in the World Junior Championships.

He is being wasted here.

[Brittany]

Come on PD, where was domination promised (honestly, can you show me where it was promised)? Seen Stamkos? was a campaign designed to create buzz for the team after we finished LAST in the league. They never said he was the savior and that he was going to come in and top Crosby. And I don't know, but I'm excited watching him, even when he makes mistakes. The kid is fast and every time he has the puck I'm on the edge of my seat. He isn't in Junior because it isn't going to help him, at all. Please tell me how going back to Juniors is going to help him, because I just don't see it. Also, would you let me know the last time a forward who was selected 1st overall was sent back to juniors (don't tell me OV, because he played in a league full of men in Russia)? I think its been a while.

And just so you know PD, I have nothing against you, I just don't understand why you feel the need to come here and kick us while we are down. You aren't a fan of the team, you have nothing nice to say about the Lightning or its players, so why do you even bother? I mean, I'm sure after all of the years of crap you have seen in Toronto, you would know how much it sucks to watch your team struggle, so why must you come and add insult to our injuries? If you have something constructive or intellectual to add to the conversation, that is fine and dandy, but just coming to point and laugh and tell us how crappy we are is a waste of our time and yours.

[PD]

Good take JB.
Melrose wasn't really first hired to coach but rather to bring the media spin to Tampa. Thats why it was leaked 5 months in advance. Skip ahead and keeping Stamkos here was the same unfortunately.

Not too bright as hockey moves but a spin man's dream.

[JB]

I'd hate to say I told you so, but didn't just about anyone who understands the climate of the NHL see this coming way back when Boyle was backstabbed? Melrose is perfectly right, but what he didn't mention is that he didn't belong behind the bench to begin with -- that was a failure of ownership and a symptom of poor business as well. No Torts, no Boyle = no Lightning. This is not the team I grew to love over the years, and I'm not just talking about winning. Good business breeds good results, and this is bad business. I too hope they lose every single game until ownership does something right.

Lightning ownership has an amazing opportunity right now to correct a serious mis-step. They can't have Torts back, which would be the best possible move, but Peter Laviolette, who is almost the same coach, is now looking for a job. He is a notorious "fixer" just like Torts. No offense to Tochett, but he is not the answer right now. Ownership needs to hire a real coach (Laviolette) and then step back to let him fix this disaster. Or, they could just keep on losing. Their move

[PD]

What did everyone expect??

Simple excitement, domination,
Seen Stamkos?

The only reason he is still here is the spin that preceded him.

[Marcel]

Stamkos needs to understand that the big boys can't be beat 1 on 1.

Bolts owners and GM are a disgrace, not hiring a proven winner as coach was mistake #1, now mistake #2 is behind the bench.

Bowman was the greatest, his players all feared and sometimes hated him, but every single one respected him and appreciated the results, leading to success. So far 2 dumb moves and it's looking like it will get worse.

Melrose is being validated but remember it's not by Tocchet being terrible, it's by Lawton being a DISGRACE.

[Brittany]

The problem is that what good is it going to do Stamkos to just dominate everyone in Jr? Okay, so he feels good about himself but then he comes in next year and we have the same problems we do right now. He isn't going to get that big, strong, whatever playing against the same kids he was playing against before he got here in one year. The only way to learn is to play against better, bigger, quicker players. Really, he should be in the AHL, but he can't so that leaves him in the NHL. He is going to have bumps and lumps, but it is all a learning process.

But I think he is the least of our worries right now. He is an 18 year old rookie playing against men, what did everyone expect? Last time I checked, Vinny didn't come in dominating everyone his first year.

Barry just likes to hear himself talk. Even if what he said is true and it is how he felt, he shouldn't have taken it to the media the way he did. It was unprofessional. Just blame everyone else Barry, I'm sure none of it was your fault.

[PD]

Interesting comment that Stamkos was not able to handle the physical side of the game. He could not compete with 200+ pound defensemen.

Thats why he should be in Jr playing and bulking.

[Ken]

Barry just might get his wish. Lightning might not another game, if they keep playing like they have been.

He's right about Stamkos. Kid's not ready.

Lecavalier is the least dominant "star" player in the league. He does nothing outside of the powerplay.

Smith has great stats -- and lots of losses. Try stopping a few more of the east ones.

Can't anyone -- anyone? -- get in front of the net?