Wild Fire Mike Yeo; John Torchetti Named Interim Head Coach
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Officials with the Minnesota Wild say head coach Mike Yeo has been fired.
The decision comes after a 4-2 loss to the Boston Bruins at the Xcel Energy Center Saturday night -- their 8th consecutive defeat. With Yeo as coach, the Wild had never made it past the 2nd round of the Western conference playoffs, falling to the Chicago Blackhawks the past three years.
Chuck Fletcher, the current General Manager of the Wild, first hired Yeo in 2011 after a successful stint as Assistant Coach with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
"I would like to thank Mike for the hard work and dedication he provided behind the bench for the Minnesota Wild organization and wish him the best in the future," Fletcher said in a statement.
In Yeo's 2nd season as coach, the team brought on Zach Parise and Ryan Suter.
A lot of fans weren't surprised to see Yeo fired after Saturday's performance in St. Paul. Fans at the Eagle Street Grille, just across from the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul were chanting "Yeo must go" earlier in the evening.
It's been a season of ups and downs, but most fans said it was clear something needed to change -- they just aren't sure if the responsibility falls more with the individual players or a coach.
"They need a coach to motivate them and get some morale, I guess," Wild fan Troy Sampson said. "The players got to play, regardless of the coach. Maybe they could change the lineup a bit, but that's what always happens. If they fire the coach, it's easier than firing 30 people."
The Wild front office announced John Torchetti would serve as the team's interim head coach. He's been head coach of the Iowa Wild since November 2014.
The Minnesota Wild will face off against the Canucks in Vancouver on Monday.