The housecleaning has begun. The Tampa Bay Lightning have let go of coach Rick Tocchet and General Manager Brian Lawton and team owner Jeff Vinik has begun the search for replacements. The announcements were made over the weekend as the Lightning finished another season without an entry into the playoffs. This is the third consecutive season the Lightning have failed to make the cut, despite their 80 points being the team’s highest point total since 2006-07.

This news doesn’t come as a shock to anybody, including the Lightning’s newest sharpshooter and Rocket Richard Award co-winner Steven Stamkos, who credits Tocchet with helping shape the player he became this year on his 51-goal tirade. While disappointed by the news, Stamkos understands the need for a change and will be ready to welcome a new coach as soon as one as found as the Lightning look to turn their fortunes around for the seasons ahead.

In the meantime, assistant GM Tom Kurvers will hold the reins for the team. Vinik himself is interested in turning his franchise around. After purchasing the team midway through the season, he’s noted that a lot of changes need to be made if the Lightning are to compete with teams like Pittsburgh and Washington. It all starts at the top, and he’ll attempt to find the right CEO for the job over the next few months.

The Lightning have a lot of work to do. Despite having one of the best young players in the game in Stamkos, as well as a high draft picks in the upcoming Entry Draft, the disarray in the front office does not bode well for the franchise as a whole. It’s going to take a lot of work - and a lot of time for Vinik to turn the ship around. Even then there’s no guarantee that the Lightning will be less Lightning-like in the future.