The Toronto Star reports that ESPN hockey analyst and former Los Angeles Kings head coach Barry Melrose is set to return behind the bench for the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Melrose, who coached the Kings to the 1993 Stanley Cup Final, would replace John Tortorella, who still holds the post.
According to the Star, incoming team owner Oren Koules has pushed for the hiring of Melrose in an effort to further sell the team and the sport in Florida. His group is awaiting approval from the NHL's Board Of Governors to take over the team, with the vote set to take place on June 18.
This is a pretty good thing for the league. Hopefully, they don't ignore the obvious potential tie-in revenues to be made from an endorsement deal with Vidal Sassoon.
Lightning fans I'm sure believe Torts blew his top too many times to survive a change of ownership, so despite getting rid of a good coach, it was a move that had to happen.
Tortorella won't be on the market for long, he's a prime coach and when he gets a good defensive system or a good goalie, he'll get the the best out of his offense. If he wasn't so media sensitive, he would have fit well into the Vancouver project, but that's a done deal now.
Melrose...I don't know if I would hire this guy to coach an NHL team. Seems like more of a marketing move to me than a plan to win games.
Lightning fans I'm sure believe Torts blew his top too many times to survive a change of ownership, so despite getting rid of a good coach, it was a move that had to happen.
Tortorella won't be on the market for long, he's a prime coach and when he gets a good defensive system or a good goalie, he'll get the the best out of his offense. If he wasn't so media sensitive, he would have fit well into the Vancouver project, but that's a done deal now.
Melrose...I don't know if I would hire this guy to coach an NHL team. Seems like more of a marketing move to me than a plan to win games.
I agree completely. Tortorella is not an easy guy to deal with, but despite that should find employment pretty quickly. I would find it pretty amusing if it turned out to be San Jose, mind you.
My reservation with hiring Melrose is that he hasn't coached at all for the last 13 years, and coaching has really changed. Also, I can only hope that the club isn't hiring him as a PR move: the head coach position is definitely one that you don't fool around with.
I've never been a big fan of Tortellia(sp?) but I'll agree that at least he was competant at his job.
Tampa Bay hiring this fool is going from the fryign pan to the 1st level of Hell. God what a dumb move.
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Originally Posted by the flying moose
so Pronger should have manned up and fought Kesler or laid him out with a big hit later in the game. retaliation by stomping on someone is cowardly. its not like Pronger isn't a big guy and can't stand up for himself.
If he could stand up for himself he'd still be in Edmonton.
Tampa Bay hiring this fool is going from the fryign pan to the 1st level of Hell. God what a dumb move.
I agree. Melrose is not going to do anything for us. He has never said anything positive about the Lightning, and I'll be dammed if he ever will. And if he were such a good coach, he would have been re-hired as a coach long before this.
The best news is that we don't have to listen to his stupidity between periods until he gets fired again. It's going to be a short couple of weeks.
But ones that viewers will cherish.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by the flying moose
so Pronger should have manned up and fought Kesler or laid him out with a big hit later in the game. retaliation by stomping on someone is cowardly. its not like Pronger isn't a big guy and can't stand up for himself.
If he could stand up for himself he'd still be in Edmonton.
Barry Melrose and his hair to coach Lightning
Barry Melrose and his hair to coach Lightning
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