The Return of Melrose place: Wes Walz is going too.

I have to admit that I am really excited about Barry Melrose being the next coach of the Tampa Bay Lighting. Also, former Wild defensive star/specialist Wes Walz is also going to be behind the Tampa Bay Lighting bench as Barry Melrose's assistant coach along with former Yotes assistant Rick Tocchet. While I loved listening to Melrose a analyst for ESPN I think Barry will bring a lot of excitement behind the bench in Tampa Bay.

Melrose leaves booth to become Lightning coachBy FRED GOODALL,Associated Press
Posted: 2008-06-24 17:19:18
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - When the Tampa Bay Lightning called, Barry Melrose was eager to listen. Out of coaching for 13 years, he missed the passion and competition of the NHL. Countless hours of watching games as a television analyst intensified his desire to return to the bench, and it didn't hurt that he'd be able to work with talent like Vincent Lecavalier and Steve Stamkos.

"They approached me. I couldn't wait to say yes," Melrose said Tuesday after the Lightning's new owners made the league's worst-kept secret official: the former Los Angeles Kings coach was the choice to replace John Tortorella.

"Watching successful teams, and watching teams that work and watching teams that don't work, it just reinforced what I believe in and how I coached, and the way we're going to play here. You don't win by accident. You don't lose by accident. There are reasons certain teams win all the time, and there's a reason certain teams lose all the time."

Melrose estimates he watched about 90 percent of Tampa Bay's games on TV last season. What he saw was a team that lost its zest under the hard-driving Tortorella, who led the club to its only Stanley Cup title four years ago.

The Lightning not only missed the playoffs for the first time since 2002, they finished last in the NHL with a league-worst 31-42-9 record.

"I think what happened here is just a group that lost their passion in the second part of the season. That's why you win," Melrose said. "You out-work other teams, you out-want other teams. When you lose that fire and lose that passion, it's very hard to compete in the NHL."

Tortorella helped transform a perennial last-place team into a champion. But his demanding, in-your-face style wore on players, especially younger ones who new owners Oren Koules and Len Barrie believe can benefit by playing for Melrose.

"When you talk to people in the league, the talent is here," Koules said, adding that he's banking on Melrose being someone who can get everyone on the team "pulling in the same direction."

Two of Melrose's assistants will be Rick Tocchet and Wes Walz. The Lightning are pursuing a third.

A major priority next season will be improving defensively.