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NHL briefs

Compiled from Times wires

© St. Petersburg Times, published November 21, 2000

Canadiens look for help by firing coach, GM

MONTREAL -- The Canadiens, hockey's greatest franchise now mired in last place, fired their coach and general manager Monday.

Coach Alain Vigneault was replaced by Michel Therrien, and general manager Rejean Houle was replaced by Andre Savard.

"As a result of our very poor results, we came to the conclusion that we needed to move quickly and somewhat radically with respect to our hockey administration," Canadiens president Pierre Boivin said at a news conference.

In other moves, former captain Guy Carbonneau was appointed assistant coach and scout Martin Madden assistant general manager.

Therrien was coach of Montreal's AHL affiliate in Quebec. He takes over an injury-riddled team in a 1-10-1-0 slump and facing the prospect of a third consecutive season out of the playoffs. Montreal, winner of 24 Stanley Cups, has 12 points after 20 games. Expansion Columbus and Minnesota are higher in the standings.

"The bottom line is this game is played with a lot of passion," Therrien said. "This is one thing that myself and Guy are going to try to bring to our players, our passion and emotion."

Houle was in his sixth season as general manager. With no great post-season success to show, he may be remembered as the person who traded goalie Patrick Roy.

Vigneault was nominated for the Jack Adams Trophy as coach of the year last season. He took a team beset by injuries from last place to within two points of a playoff spot.

Niedermayer, Arnott sign, practice

WEST ORANGE, N.J. -- Now that they have defenseman Scott Niedermayer and center Jason Arnott back, the Devils aren't wasting time in putting them on the ice.

Arnott and Niedermayer were expected to be in the lineup Wednesday when the Stanley Cup champions play at Anaheim.

"There is going to be pressure on us," Niedermayer said after practicing with the team for the first time this season. "I don't think we can go out our first game and expect to be at our best, but hopefully it won't take too long."

The players ended 77-day holdouts Monday by signing multiyear contracts and practicing.

Niedermayer signed a four-year, $16-million contract. Arnott's contract could be worth as much as $6-million over two years, $5.1-million guaranteed and $900,000 in bonuses if the Devils make the playoffs both seasons.

Niedermayer and Arnott missed training camp and 19 regular-season games. The concession the players got from general manager Lou Lamoriello was that he wouldn't dock them for days missed. He had vowed to do it when they rejected his final offer in September.

RANGERS: Defenseman Vladimir Malakhov will be out two more weeks with a sprained ligament in his left knee that already has forced him to miss 16 games.

RED WINGS: Defenseman Chris Chelios had reconstructive surgery on his left knee, and team officials said he will miss at least three months. The surgery was forced by a chronic problem with the anterior cruciate ligament. Meanwhile, captain Steve Yzerman skated exactly five weeks after having surgery on his right knee. "I was generally pleased," he said.

Monday's game

RED WINGS 6, PREDATORS 3: Nick Lidstrom scored twice and Martin Lapointe got his team-leading 11th goal for host Detroit. Chris Osgood replaced Manny Legace in goal to start the third and earned his first win since Oct.28.

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