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Tampa Bay fires Guy Boucher

Guy Boucher

Tampa Bay Lightning head coach Guy Boucher gives instructions from behind his bench during the in the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Pittsburgh Penguins in Pittsburgh Sunday, Feb. 24, 2013. The Penguins won 5-3. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

AP

Guy Boucher’s number is up in Tampa Bay.

General Manager Steve Yzerman announced this morning that they were relieving Boucher of his coaching duties, ending his run as the team’s head coach after two seasons and 31 games this year.

The Lightning got out to a 13-17-1 record this season and sit in fourth place in the Southeast Division but just three points ahead of Florida for last in the Eastern Conference. Yzerman’s comment on Boucher’s departure shows that things just didn’t go their way this year.

“Guy has poured his heart and soul into the Lightning organization for these past three years and we appreciate all the work he has done,” said Yzerman upon making the announcement. “But ultimately I am not satisfied with the direction we are heading and I believe making a change today is in the best interest of our franchise.”

The Lightning play in Winnipeg tonight and assistant coaches Martin Raymond and Dan Lacroix will share coaching duties for that game.

As for who will ultimately take over for Boucher as the new bench boss, former Sabres coach Lindy Ruff will jump to the front of the discussion, but a more likely choice to take over would be the franchise’s current AHL head coach in Syracuse, Jon Cooper.