Olczyk Fired by the Penguins

Pittsburgh Penguin Coach Eddie Olczyk was fired Thursday amid one of the most disappointing starts in franchise history and replaced by former Montreal Canadien coach Michel Therrien.

Olczyk, 39, a former team broadcaster and player who had no coaching experience before being hired in 2003, was dismissed after an 8-17-6 start, worst in the Eastern Conference.

The Penguins were a league-worst 23-47-8-4 during Olczyk’s first season in 2003-04, including an 18-game losing streak.

Therrien, 42, who coached the Penguins’ Wilkes-Barre/Scranton farm club to a 21-1-2-1 record that represents the best start in AHL history, will take over tonight against Buffalo. He was 77-77-13 as Montreal’s coach from 2000 to 2003.

Meanwhile, Penguin owner-captain Mario Lemieux practiced for the first time since being hospitalized Dec. 7 because of a rapid heartbeat and expects to play tonight. Doctors determined he has atrial fibrillation, a fluttering of the heart that can be treated with medication.

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The salary cap will rise next season from the current $39 million to between $40 million and $45 million, said Commissioner Gary Bettman, projecting overall revenue of just over $2 billion.

If revenue tops $2.05 billion, the players will get back the 12% escrow payments made under the new labor deal.