The St. Louis Blues have a new head coach. The team introduced Ken Hitchcock to the media Monday, after firing Davis Payne on Sunday.
Payne had a record of 67-55-and-15 over parts of three seasons for the Blues. Team general manager Doug Armstrong says while they're just 13 games into this year's schedule, it was time for a change.
"I felt that where we were at right now, we needed an experienced coach, someone who could guide this younger team to the area it wants to go to," Armstrong said. "And I just felt that I wanted the certainty of a head coach with a proven track record, a winner, to push these young players and push this organization to the next level."
Hitchcock says he sees potential in St. Louis.
"I think I can provide the game plan and the structure and discipline that allows the top players to set the direction here, " Hitchcock said. "I've had great success in working with top guys and getting them to play and I think there's potential for a lot of guys to be top players here."
Hitchcock has more than 500 victories over 14 seasons and led the Dallas Stars to the Stanley Cup in 1999. He is the 24th head coach in the Blues history.
