Richards had thrived under Tortorella when they won the Stanley Cup with Tampa Bay, but he managed only one goal and zero assists in his 10 postseason games.

WSJ: Rangers fire coach John Tortorella

Seven years later, Feaster was lifting a Stanley Cup with the Tampa Bay Lightning and the team he built put the Sun Belt franchise on the map.

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The Tampa Bay Lighting, coming off a Stanley Cup championship just before the last lockout, were profitable for awhile but have since reversed course, losing money for the last three years.

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"It's about the team and producing for the team, and it was a struggle, " Rangers coach John Tortorella of Richards, who won the Stanley Cup with him in 2004 with Tampa Bay.

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Tortorella, hired to replace Tom Renney with 21 games remaining in the 2008-09 season, achieved some success with the Rangers but couldn't match the Stanley Cup title he earned in 2004 with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

WSJ: Rangers fire coach John Tortorella