NEW YORK – With the Iowa Wild off to an American Hockey League-worst 2-10 start after finishing last in the Western Conference a year ago, Kurt Kleinendorst is out as head coach of the Wild's minor league affiliate, sources say.
Kleinendorst out, Torchetti in for Wild's AHL team
November 11, 2014 at 12:58PM
The Wild has tabbed John Torchetti as Kleinendorst's replacement, according to sources, and he will be on the ice to coach the Baby Wild during Tuesday's practice.
Torchetti, 50, who won a Stanley Cup as a Chicago Blackhawks assistant in 2010, returns to the Wild after coaching the Houston Aeros to back-to-back postseason berths. He was supposed to relocate with the team to Des Moines, but he exercised an out clause to take a job in Russia's Kontinental Hockey League last year.
The Iowa Wild, despite such prospects as Tyler Graovac, Kurtis Gabriel, Zack Phillips and Brett Bulmer and skilled players Jordan Schroeder, Michael Keranen and Zack Mitchell, averages only 2.25 goals per game, has allowed 3.8 goals per game and is 0-5 at home. Johan Gustafsson is off to a 2-6 start with an .884 save percentage.
It's been more and more clear the past few weeks that Wild GM Chuck Fletcher was growing increasingly displeased with Iowa's play and was worried about the development of some of its prospects would stall.
Torchetti's Houston Aeros went 75-51-26 in two seasons. He has been an interim head coach with the Florida Panthers and Los Angeles Kings and has been an assistant with Tampa Bay, Atlanta and Chicago.
MICHAEL RUSSO
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The veteran forward was injured when hit with a shot during Thursday’s victory over Montreal.
