The Philadelphia Flyers fired head coach John Tortorella on Thursday. They won their first game with interim coach Bard Shaw, but replacement rumors are already swirling. Across the continent, the Vancouver Canucks are fighting for a playoff spot in a season full of drama with a coach on an expiring contract.

Tortorella, 66, had a year remaining on his contract. Following a 7-2 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday, he expressed frustration over the Flyers' recent decline in the standings, sounding like he wasn't keen to continue coaching a rebuilding team.

PHILADELPHIA -- John Tortorella was fired as coach of the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday, marking what general manager Daniel Briere called "rock bottom" in the team's rebuilding effort. "I really hope that this is the bottom," Briere said. "This is rock bottom for us today, and this is the turnaround."