Bruins Fire Burns, Hire Keenan

Bruins roster

After opening the season 3-0-1, the Bruins have lost four straight games and general manager Harry Sinden decided to fire Burns.

"The team's play over their last several games has convinced me we need to go in a different direction and that a different coach was needed for that to be accomplished," Sinden said. "We believe that the players on this team have the talent to be a contending playoff club, but have not played up to that potential."

The Bruins didn't waste any time announcing Mike Keenan as the new coach. Keenan has coached five different NHL teams, winning the Stanley Cup with the New York Rangers in 1994. He was fired as the coach of the Vancouver Canucks midway through 1998-99 season and has been working as a broadcaster in Toronto since then.

"We share a vision about the prospects and future of Boston Bruins, and that is success," Keenan said.

The Bruins owner Jeremy Jacobs blamed Burns for missing the playoffs last season, only the second time since 1967.

"I think our team has been managed well by Harry and Mike (O'Connell)," Jacobs said in January, referring to the general manager and his assistant. "But our coaching has not been what I think it should be."