By Jess Myers
The Sports Xchange
SAINT PAUL, Minn. -- Mired in one of the worst slumps in franchise history, the Minnesota Wild on Saturday evening fired head coach Mike Yeo.
Minnesota, which fell to 1-11-2 in its last 14 games after Saturday afternoon's 4-2 home loss to the Boston Bruins, dismissed Yeo, who had been with the team since the summer of 2011.
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Wild general manager Chuck Fletcher confirmed the firing in a statement released Saturday night by the team.
"I would like to thank Mike for the hard work and dedication he provided behind the bench for the Minnesota Wild organization wish him the best in the future, Fletcher said.
Yeo had received a vote of confidence from Fletcher a week ago.
"I'm a realist. You can't lose every game and expect to think that there's not going to be changes," Yeo said after Saturday's game, but he added that he fully expected to be the coach on Sunday.
Yeo, 42, was hired for his first NHL head coaching job after being an assistant for the Pittsburgh Penguins when they won the 2009 Stanley Cup. He coached Minnesota's top minor league team before ascending to the NHL job when Minnesota dismissed Todd Richards in April 2011.
Yeo led the Wild to the playoffs the past three seasons, making the second round in 2014 and 2015 but falling to the Chicago Blackhawks both times.
The Wild appeared headed for another playoff berth a month ago before hitting a devastating slump that has them currently outside the postseason picture. Minnesota has not won a home game since Dec. 28 and tied the franchise record for consecutive home games without a win at eight, having gone 0-5-3 since the late December win.
Yeo had a 173-132-44 overall record in four-plus seasons with the Wild.
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The team did not immediately announce a replacement.
