St. Louis Blues new head coach Davis Payne watches the Chicago Blackhawks warmup before a game at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis on January 2, 2010. Payne takes over for Andy Murray who was fired after posting a 17-17-6 record for the year. Payne (39) comes to St. Louis from the Peoria Rivermen, the minor league team for the Blues, where he was head coach there. Payne becomes the 23rd head coach for St. Louis in their history UPI/Bill Greenblatt
The St. Louis Blues have fired coach Andy Murray. Davis Payne was named interim coach on Saturday morning by Blues president John Davidson. In a statement that appeared on the Blues website, Davidson said, “I would like to thank Andy Murray for the job he has done here the past four seasons. He was an intergral part in turning the St. Louis Blues around. He is a true professional and I wish him the best of luck in the future.”
Payne, is 39 years old and was the head coach of the Blues affiliates of the AHL, the Peoria Riverman. The Blues are 17-17-6 and are in 12th place in the Western Conference, nine points behind Los Angeles for the 8th and final playoff spot.
It was on January 2nd, 2009 when the Blues were in last place in the Western and had the best record in the NHL the rest of the season to make it to the playoffs only to be swept by Vancouver. There were high hopes coming into the 2009-2010 season, but the Blues have struggled scoring goals, particularly at home, where the Blues are 6-13-2 overall and have lost four in a row and eight of their last nine on home ice.
Payne will be behind the bench tonight when the Blues host Chicago.