CALGARY, Alberta -- Two days after the Calgary Flames' worst defeat in franchise history, Doug Risebrough announced Tuesday night he was relinquishing his head coaching duties to concentrate on his other role as general manager.
Risebrough turned the coaching reins over to assistant Guy Charron prior to the team's game against the Pittsburgh Penguins, and the Flames lost their fourth straight outing anyway, 6-3.
There had been speculation recently that Risebrough, 38, might step aside. The Flames had gone 25-30-9 under him this season, only spared last place in the Smythe Division by the expansion San Jose Sharks.
'With the number of issues on the immediate horizon affecting the club both short-term and in the future,' Risebrough said, 'I felt it important to concentrate full attention to my duties as general manger.'
Risebrough, after a 14-year playing career with Calgary, was named an assistant to Terry Crisp in 1987 and ascended to head coach on May 18, 1990. He took on the additional role as GM last May 16. In his first full season as head coach, the Flames went 46-26-8 in 1990-91, the fourth-best record in the NHL.
The change follows the Flames' worst defeat in club history, when they were blanked 11-0 by the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday. That was preceded by a 3-0 loss to Philadelphia last Thursday.
