Keenan Out In Boston

Archived from 2000-01 season.

Mike Keenan is out as head coach of the Boston Bruins as the team announced that it would not exercise its option on Keenan's next year contract.

Assistant coach Peter Laviolette is reportedly the fore runner for the job, but general manager Mike O'Connell refused to confirm it.

"Peter Laviolette is probably the leading candidate," O'Connell said Thursday. "I know what he can do, but I am not saying the job is his."

Keenan replaced Pat Burns, fired Oct. 25, eight games into the season, and he led the team to within a tiebreaker of making the playoffs.

The Bruins went 33-26-7-8 in 74 games under Keenan, and tied Carolina for the final Eastern Conference berth with 88 points. The Hurricanes won the tiebreaker with two more wins.

Keenan reportedly was unpopular with players and the training staff, who objected to his style of motivating through intimidation.

"Though the team made progress, there was not enough progress to warrant extending him another two years," O'Connell said.

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