Concerned by listless play that showed no sign of ending, the Tampa Bay Lightning on Sunday fired Terry Crisp, the only coach the franchise ever had, and replaced him on an interim basis with assistant Rick Paterson.
Crisp's six-year tenure with the same team was the longest of any current NHL coach. Detroit's Scotty Bowman and New Jersey's Jacques Lemaire, who both began their current stints at the start of the 1993-94 season, are now the longest tenured coaches in the league.The dismissal followed days of speculation and came with Tampa Bay mired in a seven-game (0-6-1) winless streak that dropped the Lightning (2-7-2) into last place in the Eastern Conference.
"This is not a happy day in Tampa Bay Lightning history," general manager Phil Esposito said. "We've been together since the beginning. However, I was convinced breaking training camp our club was pretty good. It didn't seem like they were responding."
Esposito informed Crisp and the players of his decision before the morning skate for Sunday night's game against the Los Angeles Kings.
"I told Terry Crisp this morning at 10 o'clock we were going to make a change," Esposito said. "He wasn't surprised. He understood the situation. He's been a class act."
Forward Rob Zamuner, an original member of the Lightning, said the players understood the move.
"It was a situation I guess where Phil had to act," he said. "It's easier to fire one guy than 25 or 26."
The high mark during Crisp's stay came two years ago when the Lightning made their only playoff appearance. Tampa Bay dropped an Eastern Conference quarterfinal series to Philadelphia in six games.
Key injuries last season dashed high expectations as the Lightning missed the playoffs by three points. Back surgery limited goaltender Daren Puppa to just six games, while a wrist injury cost Lightning leading career scorer Brian Bradley 47 games.
"We're shocked," Bradley said. "I guess sometimes there needs to be a change. Terry did a great job for us. We (the players) are to blame."
Paterson joined the Lightning after spending the past four years coaching Cleveland in the International Hockey League. He also served as an assistant at Pittsburgh for five years.
"I got a break today," Paterson said. "Unfortunately in this business, somebody gets hurt. I think this team has a lot of untapped potential."
Esposito said Paterson will be given consideration for the full-time position.
"When we hired Rick Paterson, it was with the idea someday he might become a head coach," Esposito said. "I didn't think it would happen this soon."
Esposito said he plans to prepare a list of three or four candidates, including former Buffalo coach Ted Nolan. A stormy relationship between the 1996-97 NHL Coach of the Year and the Buffalo organization saw Nolan depart after guiding the Sabres to their division title last season since 1981.
Also fired Sunday was assistant coach Dave MacQueen, who has been offered a scouting position within the organization.
Esposito said Crisp, who coached the Calgary Flames to the Stanley Cup championship in 1989, will not be offered a hockey capacity role, but didn't rule out a return in a different capacity. Crisp was in the second year of a three-year deal that pays him $550,000 a year.
Citing the desire for a fresh start, Esposito also stripped captain Paul Ysebaert and alternate captain Brian Bradley of their positions. They were replaced by three alternate captains, Dino Ciccarelli, Roman Hamrlik and Zaumner.