Melrose To Be Named Lightning Coach

While the past week or so on this blog has been dedicated to the Florida Panthers, there is now hockey news to report from across the state. ESPN Analyst Barry Melrose will be named head coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning today.

Melrose has been out of coaching since 1995, when he joined up with ESPN. His only stint in the NHL came behind the bench of the L.A. Kings, and led the Kings to the Stanley Cup Finals in his debut season. He also led 2 minor league teams to championships, the '87 Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL), and the Adirondack Red Wings (AHL) in '91.

The Lightning ended last season in last place in the eastern conference, and were recently sold to new owners, Palace Sports. In the recently completed entry draft, the Bolts had the #1 overall pick, which they used to select consensus #1 Steve Stamkos. Stamkos led the Sarnia Sting of the OHL with 58 goals and 105 points in 61 games. He joins former #1 overall Vincent Lecavalier in Tampa.

While this choice has the stench of a publicity stunt on the surface, it's much deeper than that. Melrose has been in the booth since 1995. But when ESPN chose not to cover hockey post-lockout, Melrose was left with little to do but give a semi-regular 2 minute segments on SportsCenter. He's made it known he wants to get back to coaching. Now he has his chance. There's no question that few have more knowledge of the game. It will just be interesting to see how he makes the transition back into coaching.

Rumors swirl around Melrose, Bolts

While the Florida Panthers coaching search drags on, it seems as though the Tampa Bay Lightning may have a move of their own. While nothing has been announced, and both sides have avoided comments, there are reports and rumors that ESPN commentator Barry Melrose may be the head coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning next season.

According to a report in the Toronto Star, Melrose is in line for the job. The paper reported that it had been told Melrose will sign a contract sometime in the next couple days for $2 million a season with the Bolts.

The Lightning were Stanley Cup winners in 2004. Post-lockout, Tampa has struggled to adjust to the "new NHL." Last season, they were dead last in the conference. New ownership is coming in and is looking for someone to replace current head coach John Tortorella.

When asked about this situation on SportsCenter Friday, Barry Melrose deflected the question as any professional would. "I want to coach again in the NHL. But nothing's going on. Uh, I work for ESPN and I'm very happy working for ESPN," said Melrose.

Lightning GM Jay Feaster also deferred comment to after the sale of the franchise was complete. In a statement released Friday, Feaster said, "We have been asked by both Palace Sports & Entertainment and OK Hockey that unless a hockey operations issue is time-sensitive or deadline-sensitive, all items be deferred until after the closing of the sale of the franchise. In as much as John Tortorella is under contract to be the head coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning for the 2008-09 season, this is not necessarily a time-sensitive issue."

This comes as somewhat as a surprise to me. Sure, coming in last place isn't the goal at the start of the season. But Just 3 seasons ago, Tortorella led the Lightning to the Holy Grail. Now he's cut free. Will he land in South Florida? Torts worked well with his young team in 2003-2004, most notably Vinnie Lecavlier and Brad Richards (both were only 24 when they won the Cup). I can see some similarities in the 2004 Cup winners to the 2008-2009 Panthers. A young, talent filled team, a couple of older veterans (Dave Andreychuk won his first cup in '04 with Tampa), and a solid netminder who just needs some decent defending. While this deal isn't even done yet, I wonder how much Jacques Martin is watching this situation from his seat in Sunrise.