ESPN.com news services
Mike Keenan, who had been the leader in victories among all active NHL coaches, has been fired by the Florida Panthers, ESPN has learned.
Team sources say that GM Rick Dudley will be the interim coach. An announcement from the team is expected at a 3 p.m. ET news conference on Sunday.
The Panthers are 5-8-2-0 this year, tied for third in the Southeast Division. In what turned out to be Keenan's final game, Florida lost to St. Louis 2-0 Saturday night.
Keenan has coached six other NHL teams -- the Flyers (1984-88), the Blackhawks (1988-92), the Rangers (1993-94), the Blues (1994-96), the Canucks (1997-98) and the Bruins (2000-01).
Keenan led the Rangers to the Stanley Cup title in 1994, the team's first championship in 54 years. The Rangers went 52-24-8 under Keenan, going from a non-playoff team to the President's Trophy winner and Stanley Cup champ in just one year. It was Keenan's only season with the Rangers.
Keenan became the sixth coach in Panthers history in December of 2001
Mike Keenan, who had been the leader in victories among all active NHL coaches, has been fired by the Florida Panthers, ESPN has learned.
Team sources say that GM Rick Dudley will be the interim coach. An announcement from the team is expected at a 3 p.m. ET news conference on Sunday.
The Panthers are 5-8-2-0 this year, tied for third in the Southeast Division. In what turned out to be Keenan's final game, Florida lost to St. Louis 2-0 Saturday night.
Keenan has coached six other NHL teams -- the Flyers (1984-88), the Blackhawks (1988-92), the Rangers (1993-94), the Blues (1994-96), the Canucks (1997-98) and the Bruins (2000-01).
Keenan led the Rangers to the Stanley Cup title in 1994, the team's first championship in 54 years. The Rangers went 52-24-8 under Keenan, going from a non-playoff team to the President's Trophy winner and Stanley Cup champ in just one year. It was Keenan's only season with the Rangers.
Keenan became the sixth coach in Panthers history in December of 2001
