Hockeyhead

Call Barry Melrose what you want, but don’t say he’s afraid to speak his mind.  The Tampa Bay Lightning were pathetic under him; he probably spent more time on his greasy hair than he did on his line combinations, but Barry the analyst pulled no punches when he was asked about his exit on a Toronto radio show.

Melrose commented on the influence that Lightning ownership tried to push him by saying;

“I had guys in Tampa who wanted to run the team and I wouldn’t let them.  I was hired to coach and I coached,” Melrose said over the phone on The Fan 590.  “I wasn’t playing the right guys.  I was playing certain guys too much, I wasn’t playing other guys enough.  Every day was a constant battle.”

When asked about 2008 first overall pick Steven Stamkos, Melrose expressed his belief (and everyone’s) that Stamkos is not ready for the NHL yet.

“Steven is not ready for the NHL,” Melrose stated on the Fan 590.  “Steven is going to be a good player…right now he’s just not strong enough physically to play against defencemen who are 6′3″ or 6′4″ that can skate as good as him.”

Not very kind words Barry; I don’t like you, but I tend to agree with you.

CNNSI for the photo.