VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- The Vancouver Canucks fired coach and general manager Harry Neale Thursday after he led the team to its worst season in its 15-year NHL history.
Neale, who has served the team since 1978, said he had no plans and had not started looking for another job although both the New York Rangers and Minnesota North Stars have coaching vacancies.
Arthur Griffiths, special assistant and son of owner Frank Griffiths, said he hoped to announce Neale's replacement next week.
'To put it simply there was need for a change,' Griffiths said. 'He (Neale) said himself the team's performance was less than we all had hoped. Therefore the decision was made.'
The firing, expected for several weeks, came after a 'fair' settlement was reached on the remaining two years left on Neale's contract, estimated at $150,000 per year, Neale told reporters.
'It hasn't been the greatest of springs for the Vancouver Canucks, especially for me and I'm sure the owners,' Neale said about the Canucks' dismal 25-46-9 record, the fourth worst in the league.
Neale assumed coaching duties last year after firing rookie coach Bill Laforge only 20 games into the regular season.
During the 1983-84 season, Neale was also forced to take overthe coaching duties after firing Roger Neilson, who led the Canucks to the 1982 Stanley Cup final against the New York Islanders.
'One of the regrets I have is that two of the three seasons I had as general manager, I ended up coaching instead of managing,' Neale lamented. 'I would like to be the manager of a team without having to be a coach.'
Neale was elevated to the position of general manager in June, 1982, after coaching the team for four years.
Speculation has mounted regarding Neale's future since the end of the season when he admitted Griffiths had told him to start looking for another job.
Neale put his Vancouver house up for sale last month and has still not found a buyer.
Griffiths said the team is looking for a director of hockey operations. He said it would be up to that person whether to hire another coach or general manager.
The leading candidate for the new job appeared to be Herb Brooks, who coached the United States to an Olympic gold medal at Lake Placid, but was fired this year by the New York Rangers.
Brooks admitted in an interview with the Vancouver Province, he had been approached about the job.
'I didn't know whether they wanted me to be coach or general manager, or both, or what,' Brooks told the newspaper. 'So I said I would be very interested and that I would like to hear more of what they had in mind.'
Several other coaches and general managers have admitted to being approached by the Canucks, including Buffalo Sabres general manager Scotty Bowman, New York Islanders coach Al Arbour, and Winnipeg Jets general manager John Ferguson.
All turned down the Canucks' offers.
