TAMPA, Fla. — Barry Melrose's return to the NHL as coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning lasted 16 games.

The former television anaylst was fired Friday, less than five months after he left the booth to coach a team that finished with the league's worst record last season. Assistant Rick Tocchet was promoted to interim head coach.

"This was a tough decision to make," general manager Brian Lawton said. "Barry is a good man and we have a great deal of respect for him. We wish him nothing but success. However, the results were unacceptable and the players have to understand that we need to be better. Hopefully this change helps push them."

The Lightning have lost three straight games, dropping to fourth in the Southeast Division. Despite the presence of Martin St. Louis and Vincent Lecavalier, Tampa Bay ranks last in goals in the NHL.

Melrose is the second NHL coach to be fired this season — the Chicago Blackhawks dismissed Denis Savard after four games.

Out of coaching for 13 years, Melrose was lured back to the bench by new Lightning owners Oren Koules and Len Barrie as a replacement for John Tortorella, who led Tampa Bay to its only Stanley Cup championship.

Melrose coached Los Angeles from 1992-95. In his first season, he helped the Wayne Gretzky-led Kings to the Stanley Cup finals, where they lost to the Montreal Canadiens. He spent 12 years at ESPN before taking over the Lightning.

At the time of his hiring, Melrose said his time in television enabled him to get a good read on what works in the NHL, as well as a "handle on the players that I would love to have in our organization when deals are made."

Koules and Barrie were the primary investors in a group that purchased the Lightning for $206 million. The roster was overhauled during the summer, but the team got off to a slow start and has shown few signs of improvement.

Tocchet has been in the NHL for 25 years as a player and coach. He played 18 seasons with Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Los Angeles, Boston, Washington and Phoenix and served as an assistant coach with Colorado and Phoenix.

"We think this is a great opportunity for him and we believe he's the type of coach who can take the team to the next level," Lawton said. "Our players have a great deal of respect for him."