Ducks fire coach Carlyle amid losing streak
Mired in a two-month tailspin, the Anaheim Ducks fired coach Randy Carlyle. Bob Murray, the team’s general manager, will serve as interim coach for the remainder of the season.
Carlyle, 62, was in his second stint with the Ducks and is the winningest coach in team history. He led them to a Stanley Cup in 2006-07, his second season with the team. Carlyle was fired after a slow start to the 2011-12 season and was hired by the Maple Leafs. Toronto let him go in 2015.
“We thank Randy for everything he has done for the organization,” Murray said in a statement. “Leading the team to a Stanley Cup and three conference final appearances, he has accomplished so much in Anaheim. Difficult decisions need to be made when times are tough, and our play has clearly been unacceptable. We have a tradition of success in Anaheim and we need to get back to that.”
Sources say Murray was hesitant to fire Carlyle earlier because philosophically, he does not believe in midseason coaching changes. Dallas Eakins, the coach with the Ducks’ AHL affiliate, the San Diego Gulls, would have been in consideration for the interim job, but the Gulls are having a strong season (currently third place in the AHL’s Pacific Division) and Murray was wary of impeding development there. Eakins is the front-runner for the full-time job in 2019-20.
The Ducks have spiraled over the past two months. By Dec. 17, they had accumulated 18 wins over their first 34 games, boasting the ninth-best record in the league and top record in the Pacific Division. Since then, Anaheim has gone 2-15-4 — including a 12 game losing streak — which is the worst record in the league. Anaheim entered Sunday in last place in the Pacific Division. Before Carlyle’s dismissal, the Ducks had lost seven straight games in which they were outscored 37-8.
Rickard Raklell, Cam Fowler, Ryan Miller and Patrick Eaves have all missed time to injury this season. Forward Ondrej Kase is out for the remainder of the year after undergoing surgery for a torn labrum. Corey Perry underwent surgery in training camp for an MCL injury and made his season debut on Feb. 3.
Anaheim faces difficult personnel decisions ahead as it gears up for a re-tool. The “big three” of Perry, Ryan Getzlaf and Ryan Kesler are all over the age of 33 and have each battled significant injuries over the past two seasons. Perry and Getzlaf have cap hits above $8 million and are under contract through 2020-21; Kesler, with a $6.875 million cap hit, is under contract through 2021-22. All three players have no-movement clauses.
Murray has begun trying to reshape the roster, making eight trades since Dec. 3.
The Ducks have qualified for the playoffs in each of the last six seasons. Only the Pittsburgh Penguins have a longer streak. On Dec. 8, Murray signed a two-year contract extension to take him through the 2021-22 season.
Murray, 64, played in 1,008 NHL games over 15 seasons for the Chicago Blackhawks. After retiring, he began working in the Blackhawks front office and later became the team’s GM from 1997-99. He has never coached in the NHL.