Tampa Bay promotes Tocchet to head coach

TAMPA, Fla., May 11 (UPI) -- Rick Tocchet was promoted Monday to full-time head coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning, the team announced.

Tocchet and Tampa Bay agreed on a multi-year contract. Terms were not disclosed.

Tocchet, 45, was hired as an assistant last off-season. He became interim head coach 16 games into the 2008-09 season when Tampa Bay fired Barry Melrose.

"I am excited for our players and fans that Rick has accepted the position of head coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning," said Tampa Bay owner Oren Koules. "Rick has proven to the management and to our players that he is the right man for this job."

Tocchet began his coaching career in 2002-03 as an assistant with the Colorado Avalanche. He spent 1 1/2 seasons with the Avalanche before joining Phoenix as an assistant in 2005.

He was out of coaching for two years for his involvement in a betting ring before re-entering the league with Tampa Bay.