Bill Lumpkin - AHN Editor
Tampa, FL (AHN) -- Barry Melrose will be returning to the NHL as a head coach for the first time in more than a decade when he's introduced as the head coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday.
Melrose last coached in the NHL as the head coach of the Los Angeles Kings from 1992 to '95, taking the Kings to the Stanley Cup finals for the first time in franchise history in his first season.
He worked with ESPN and ESPN2 during the Stanley Cup playoffs both during the 1994 and 1995 playoffs, then became a fulltime ESPN analyst in 1996.
He began his coaching career in 1987 with the Medicine Hat Tigers of the WHL. He also coached the Seattle Thunderbirds and Adirondack Red Wings over the next four seasons.
The Arizona Republic reported that Phoenix Coyotes assistant Rick Tocchet will join Melrose's staff in Tampa. Tocchet played 18 seasons in the NHL, but also was the subject of a gambling investigation as a coach.
The Lightning won the 2004 Stanley Cup, but finished last in the standings a year ago.
A new ownership group was introduced at a press conference on Monday and the team hopes to rebuild quickly around overall No. 1 draft pick Steve Stamkos.
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