him. He took the team to game 7 of the conference semi-final, and was 1 goal shy of playing in the WC final. He was a Jack Adams finalist last season. It's not like he just forgot how to coach.

I suspect his message was losing its value in the locker room, at least somewhat.

It's also possible that Ron Francis has an idea for a replacement that is available now (like Brind'Amour) and it's time to strike.