4. Dave Lewis
The Bruins were in a transition period for the few seasons following the 2004-05 lockout. During the 2005-06 season, they traded superstar Joe Thornton in November, fired general manager Mike O’Connell in March, came in last in their division, and then fired head coach Mike Sullivan in June. A few days after Sullivan’s release, new Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli hired former Detroit Red Wings head coach, Dave Lewis, to fill the open position.
The 2006-07 Bruins started the season with a few new important signings. New captain Zdeno Chara, and Marc Savard were signed on the opening day of free agency, and first-round draft pick, Phil Kessel was ready to be inserted into the mix immediately. These additions to the roster with burgeoning star Patrice Bergeron, the highly effective and clutch play of Marco Sturm, and the surprising rise of Tim Thomas, it seemed like Lewis could be set up for some early success. Unfortunately, coaching a team that was so lost and without identity the season prior, requires a rebuilding process that doesn’t resolve in a single season.
The Bruins finished last place in their division for the second season in a row, posting a 35-41-6 record. All the the players previously mentioned had productive seasons, Marc Savard even finished 3rd in the league with 74 assists, and was 8th in points (96), but the Bruins did not carry much depth past that. In the next few seasons, Boston would begin to build an identity and become a new version of the ‘Big, Bad Bruins’ which would lead them to success and eventually the Stanley Cup victory in 2011.
Lewis would not be around to see this play out, as he was fired in June 2007, after just one season behind the bench. Lewis went on to become the assistant coach for the Los Angeles Kings the next season, and from 2011 to 2014 he was the assistant coach for the Carolina Hurricanes.