Mullet Cut Loose

If you had under 20 games for Barry Melrose to get fired from behind the bench of the Tampa Bay Lightning; guess what?? You're a big winner. That's right, after 16 games, the Bolts fired Melrose today in favor of assistant coach Rick Tocchet.

There was a lot of hub-bub concerning Melrose this season and why the Lightning would bring him back after a hiatus of 13 years behind a NHL bench. While the Tampa brass was all about creating a buzz about the team, they certainly did that by hiring Melrose; but you wonder if by hiring him it was the demise of Melrose and the team from the start. With guys out on the market that had more recent experience than Melrose, why would they think that a guy who hasn't coached since the end of the last NHL work stoppage??

You really can't blame Melrose for this, I'm sure that he wanted more out of the team than what he got, but depending on what you take as truth; you don't know how much control Barry got of his own team. Whether you believe the stories about ownership partners coming down and diagraming plays or having more distractions than driving on the highway at 65 mph with a soda in one hand, burger in the other, while driving past a car wash with naked women.

Now, if Melrose had something more than all forwards and had something that resembled a defense, the Bolts could be in good shape and the coaching prowess of Melrose could be praised. However, with no defense, with the offense only putting up only 34 goals so far this season (30th in the league, mind you), the Bolts are doomed to fail. The only shining light is seeing that Mike Smith is a top notch goalie in the league, and would be a force if he got any help on the back end.

Let's focus on the present now, what does Rick Tocchet need to do in order to make this team as great as they want to be?? First off, he need to take control of the offense and get some production out of them. Martin St. Louis and Vincent Lecavalier are doing decent, but could be doing much better. Second, get a defensive system in place. If Smith and Olie Kolzig have to keep facing upwards of 40 shots a night, they will be burned out by the ASG and then they won't have the stellar performances they have had thus far in the season. Thirdly, get control of the team outright. Too many rumors of the owners and upper management being in the room and messing with some things out there. Get them out of the room, take control of the team, and get right the ship before it goes too far off course.

Only time will tell if this change will mean anything at all, but right now-- something needs to settle in Tampa or else the buzz will surrounding the team will be what they will do with their lottery pick at the Draft.

Who's The Next To Go??

Denis Savard set the standard already for the 2008-09 coaching carousel by getting canned four games into the season in favor of Joel Quenneville, but now the question is-- since the first domino has been hit; who's going to be the next to tumble?? There are plenty out there who could definitely be ousted, but only a couple have a serious chance of getting their walking papers.

First up, Randy Carlyle. After a dismal 1-5 start, odds are the Anaheim Ducks head man is going to be the top candidate to be ousted next. While he was able to right the Stanley Cup champions banner for two years, as well as a big hangover from last season-- odds are that if the Ducks are going to be a contender, they need a new voice at the head of that ship. Carlyle's message may be lost or the teams are just that much better than the Ducks, but they need to get things righted before the team goes completely south for the winter. Heh, a migration joke-- get it??

Second would have to be Mike Keenan, but like I said in a previous post, I don't think that's the best route for the Flames. Keenan can be a hardass, but in the end-- he could be what the Flames need to keep them going and keep them hungry. If the Flames management give into demands, they'll be in another Jim Playfair situation where the players like the easy-going demeanor, but the thirst for success could be something that is lacking should they make the playoffs.

While it's only five games in, maybe Barry Melrose isn't the best idea for a coach in the "new" NHL. He's been out of the game way too long and it's showing that he could be not what the Bolts needed. Granted, he has been taking action by calling out his team two games into the season and limiting the minutes of their young star Steve Stamkos; it could be those things that the ownership didn't count on when hire him....or signing the players they did. It could be a stretch, but if things don't get better-- Matthew Barnaby may have to make room for Melrose back at ESPN.

John Stevens is a young coach and did a lot for the Flyers last year, but some reason-- they aren't clicking this year. Is this the time for Stevens to step down as an assistant?? Sure, it's five games in, but the Flyers have been losing leads late and haven't had the spark they had last year to start the season. With the Philly fateful very demanding, it could be time for Paul Holmgren to make a chance, which may start behind the bench.

Granted, I said that Barry Trotz was going to be the first guy out, but the Predators have been doing somewhat solid. It's been a long time for Trotz behind the Preds bench and he could be on a tight leash this season-- but he's getting things done for now, yet be sure that David Poile could be looming over Trotz in the shadows. I'd say Trotz's neck is on the line.....but that would require him to have one.

I'll be here all week, try the veal-- up next, Rich Vos.

Don't Anger The Mullet

After a pair of 2-1 defeats, Barry Melrose and his stylish coif were a bit upset for the lack of production on the shot chart and scoresheet for having 139 forwards on the Lightning roster. Only two goals and 40 shots in 120 minutes of play will make for a long season, especially when giving up 80 shots. Lucky for Melrose, his goalies were ready, only letting in four goals.

Yet, the same concern that Melrose has now, are the same that many pundits had when the roster was finalized. In an article of the Czech media bashing the boring games between the Bolts and Rangers, Melrose had a great quote regarding his defense: ""It's not like we can airlift six veteran D in here tomorrow."

After letting up 80 shots in 120 minutes and getting thoroughly trounced 63-20 in the first two periods' SOGs combined of both games-- you have to wonder if the defense will lobby for a five period game so they can get used to the first four minutes and be able to play the next sixty. While it may take some time for the the youngsters to mature-- they better do it pretty effin' quick because there's no room for error.

That's why it's a concern for many. It's not like there's a mix of vets and young guns on the blueline for the Bolts, it's all young guys, all guys who may have a bright future; but lack the experience needed to counteract the barrage they'll be seeing this season. When you consider the money that the new owners were willing to throw around-- you may think they could have made a play for Brian Campbell or Rob Blake or even Mathieu Schneider if for nothing else but for some experience to help mentor these kids and maybe take some pressure off the youngsters.

More over, after the weekend, Melrose said that his top guys need to play as well as the bottom six on the depth chart and that he hoped the players were embarassed with their play during one of the periods because he was sure the ownership and management were.

You can question Melrose being out of the game for a while and that he may be lost with the new rules and everything to open up the game; but he's doing the right thing by calling out his guys now rather than down the line. It's only two games in and if Melrose can light a fire into his top guns early, then you can right the ship before it starts getting too bad and the in-fighting happens.

Of course, this could have a negative reaction and if the harking keeps happening; it'll get real old, real fast and things could get really bad in Tampa Bay. If the Bolts wanted the attention on them, they certain will get it because if the lack of production keeps happening-- they'll be under every media microscope as far as the internet can reach.

Why Barry Melrose Won't Help the Lightning

He stinks.

Okay, that could be the shortest and least in-depth blog post ever if I were to quit right there, but regardless of the explanation I give, it'll all go back to that point.

If you haven't heard, the Tampa Bay Lightning signed Barry "The Mullet" Melrose to be their new head coach. A man who hasn't been in the league in 13 years, a man who has always been better suited to be an analyst than a head coach has been named head coach of a NHL team over the likes of Bob Hartley, Marc Crawford, and Joel Quenneville. If you can't figure out why the Bolts did this-- let me spell it out for you:

PUBLICITY STUNT

That's right kids, in an attempt for the Bolts to get more interest from the NHL and from their own fans in Tampa, they hired one of the most recognizable hairstyles to be their bench boss. This is a team who is four years removed from a Stanley Cup championship and they are are in such dire straits that they need to go the route of hiring due to recognition rather than qualifications. Way to start off on the right foot new ownership group.

But, what can you do?? You have to give Hollywood producer and Bolts co-owner Oren Koules some props for creating a buzz in the hockey world off the hop by getting Melrose back behind the bench. What better way to draw attention than making it with a move like this. Forget they drafted first overall, forget they have a bevy of talent they could market...you need Melrose to be the guy to guide this team to drunken mediocre.

Now, this is not because I have something big against Melrose. I think he's a great analyst and I think a personality that could be big asset to American coverage of the NHL on TV. It's just that he was choice based on that and not his history. Melrose is 82-103-31 in two-and-a-half seasons with the LA Kings, which is defining moment is taking the Kings to the Cup finals. And sure, Melrose has a Calder Cup and Memorial Cup to his name-- but that was eons ago. The game is new, the caliber of players are better, and as a whole-- I think this move could be more of an albatross for the Bolts than a god-send.

If you want to bring a team back into the spotlight, the Bolts needed to get a coach who will actually get the job done and get the team back to prominence by winning and making waves that way. Someone like Joel Quenneville would have done the same job that Melrose could do, but better and in a quicker turnaround time. It's Hockey Personnel 101 and maybe someone should give the new Tampa owners a crash-course on this subject.

In the end, the only good thing to take away from this is that ESPN could be knocking on my door to give me a contract offer to be their new studio analyst. Hey guys-- Facebook me and we'll talk.