ST. PAUL, Minn., April 11 (UPI) -- Minnesota Wild Coach Todd Richards was fired Monday after producing a winning team but failing to reach the playoffs in his two seasons with the NHL club.
"I would like to thank Todd for the hard work he provided to the Minnesota Wild organization the last two seasons and wish him the best in the future," Minnesota General Manager Chuck Fletcher said.
Richards, 44, racked up a 77-71-6 record in his two seasons after taking over from Jacques Lemaire, who also missed the playoffs in his final season with the team he had guided since its inception in 2000.
"Todd and his staff worked extremely hard to help this team win hockey games and ultimately these are tough decisions," Fletcher said. "I just felt going forward we needed a new voice to lead this team into next season. Certainly, this disappointment of not making the playoffs had a part in this, but I also feel that we needed a new direction.
"Once you come to that decision, the important thing is -- for the organization and for the individuals affected -- to do it as quickly as possible."
