Behind The Boards: Changes Were Needed
SUNRISE (CBSMiami) - It's always difficult when people you know lose jobs. But the Panthers were in dire need of change, thus the coaching staff was fired Friday.
Kevin Dineen and his assistants Craig Ramsay and Gord Murphy were let go because the team was underperforming.
I believe this team is better than what it's shown. The same mental mistakes are being made over and over again. The team needs to find consistency as it's average has varied wildly during games. Goal tending needs to much better.
In the bigger picture, this is the first stamp new owner Vinnie Viola has put on this team. It's a statement that shows he will no longer accept the losing.
While it's impossible to fix everything overnight, new voices, fresh ideas and a level of accountability will be present in the current coaching staff.
Peter Horachuck is a coaching veteran, from the ECHL to the IHL to the AHL most recently, he is a lifer. He also was on the NHL bench with Nashville for 10 years as associate coach.
He will bring a level of fairness and accountability to the team. Assistants John Madden and Brian Skrudland were with the team in the front office. They are both both fiery and Stanley Cup winners.
I'm curious to see this team play with this new staff. Again, this team is better than what it's shown so far this season.
That said, I also expect some trades to be made. After all, the players are the ones out there playing the game, not the coaches.
