Minnesota Wild fire coach Bruce Boudreau

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Minnesota Wild head coach Bruce Boudreau watches from the bench as his team plays against the Tampa Bay Lightning during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Jan. 16, 2020, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Hannah Foslien)
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Minnesota Wild’s head coach Bruce Boudreau shouts after a penalty call in the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Vancouver Canucks, Sunday, Jan. 12, 2020, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Stacy Bengs)
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Minnesota Wild coach Bruce Boudreau stands behind the bench during the first period of the team;s NHL hockey game against the Pittsburgh Penguins in Pittsburgh, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2020. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — The Minnesota Wild fired coach Bruce Boudreau on Friday after their 30th loss of the season.

First-year general manager Bill Guerin fired Boudreau in the aftermath of a shootout loss to the New York Rangers. Assistant Dean Evason was named interim coach.

Boudreau is the eighth NHL coach to lose his job this season and the sixth fired for performance reasons. That matches the most for one season in NHL history, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

Minnesota is 27-23-7 and three points out of a playoff position in the Western Conference with 25 games left to play.

Boudreau was in his fourth season with the Wild and was hired by Chuck Fletcher, who has since been fired. He’s in his 13th season after previously coaching the Washington Capitals and Anaheim Ducks.

The 65-year-old took Minnesota to the playoffs in his first two seasons there.

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The Associated Press