With the team in second-to-last position in the Eastern Conference and a chance to miss the playoffs for the second consecutive season, the Tampa Bay Lightning dismissed coach Guy Boucher on Sunday.
In the Lightning’s 3-2 loss to the Jets on Sunday night in Winnipeg, assistants Dan Lacroix and Martin Raymond guided the squad.
After the game, Tampa Bay star Steven Stamkos remarked, “It’s something that people didn’t expect to deal with on a game day, but it is what it is.” “I felt that everyone’s response was excellent. The players and coaching staff performed admirably tonight, in my opinion. We played a really good game, in my opinion.
“Didn’t get the result we wanted, but a very solid team effort and I’m proud of the guys.”
The Lightning lost 5-3 in Ottawa the day before, down by four goals in the first period. Boucher was fired.
The Lightning, who are 13-18-1, will probably not make it to the postseason after making it to the conference finals in Boucher’s debut season. In June 2010, he was brought on as the eighth coach for the Lightning.
General manager Steve Yzerman said in a statement, “Guy has poured his heart and soul into the Lightning organization for these past three years and we appreciate all the work he has done.” “But ultimately I am not satisfied with the direction we are heading, and I believe making a change today is in the best interest of our franchise.”
Tampa Bay added goalkeeper Anders Lindback, defensemen Sami Salo and Matt Carle, and went into this season hoping to make the playoffs. Aside from Lindback, the captain Vincent Lecavalier has been out due to injury.
Boucher’s appointment was Yzerman’s first significant GM decision. Boucher had not coached at the highest level of hockey and had only been a professional coach for one year. Yzerman said the 38-year-old had adjusted to the players, personality, and caliber of play he encountered at every point of his career, so he was not discouraged from making him the youngest coach in the league.
Before taking over as head coach of Montreal’s top minor league affiliate, the Hamilton Bulldogs of the American Hockey League, Boucher spent three years as a junior league coach. After leading Hamilton to the AHL’s second-best record, he declined an opportunity to become the Columbus Blue Jackets’ coach.
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