Florida Panthers finally give Kevin Dineen his NHL coaching job

(Oh, the irony of running a photo of the Whale on a day like today.)

Kevin Dineen, 47, played 1,188 games in the NHL with Philadelphia, Hartford, Carolina, Ottawa and Columbus. He's coached for six seasons with the Portland Pirates of the AHL, having compiled five straight winning seasons. So he's put in his time.

Last year, he was a finalist for the Columbus Blue Jackets' head coaching gig that eventually went to Scott Arniel. His time had to wait.

But on Wednesday, the wait ends: The Florida Panthers will name Dineen as their 11th head coach in franchise history, according to George Richards of the Miami Herald.

He replaces Peter DeBoer, who was fired after three seasons and a 103-107-36 record. According to the Sun-Sentinel, Chicago Blackhawks assistant Mike Haviland and Thrashers associate coach John Torchetti and Manitoba Moose coach Claude Noel were also on the radar.

For more on Dineen's coaching acumen, check out the Columbus Dispatch on his "inspiration and intelligence" as an AHL coach. One refreshing phrased used here about Dineen's teams, at least for Panthers fans: "They go after the puck, they play with speed and they don't back down or get outworked."

Amanda Righetti Michelle Branch Melissa Howard Samantha Mumba Busy Philipps