Predators fire coach Peter Laviolette a day after loss to Ducks
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Nashville fired Peter Laviolette on Monday after he coached the Predators into the playoffs in each of the previous five seasons.
Assistant coach Kevin McCarthy also was dismissed. The Predators (19-15-7) have dropped four of five heading into Tuesday night’s game against the Boston Bruins. They lost to the Ducks in a shootout Sunday and are 11th in the Western Conference standings with 45 points.
There was no word on a replacement for either coach. General manager David Poile praised their work in a release.
“Under the leadership of Peter and Kevin, our organization reached unprecedented heights — from our franchise-altering run to the Stanley Cup Final to a Presidents’ Trophy and our first two Central Division titles,” he said. “Their passion for the game, ability to motivate a team and drive to be the best makes this a difficult decision.“
Adam Henrique had two goals and an assist, Ryan Getzlaf got the deciding goal in the fifth round of the shootout to lift the Ducks past the Predators, 5-4.
The 55-year-old Laviolette went 248-143-60 in 5 1/2 seasons with Nashville. The Predators lost to Pittsburgh in the 2017 Stanley Cup Final, made it to the second round in 2018 and were eliminated in the first round a year ago.
Nashville signed free-agent forward Matt Duchene to a $56 million, seven-year contract on July 1, but it sputtered through the first half of this season.
Laviolette has 637 wins over 18 years as an NHL coach with the New York Islanders, Carolina, Philadelphia and Nashville. He coached the Hurricanes to the Stanley Cup championship in 2006.
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