Report: Panthers fire head coach Gerard Gallant

Tom Rowe will take over behind the bench on an interim basis.

In a somewhat surprising move, the Florida Panthers relieved head coach Gerard Gallant of his duties on Sunday evening.

The team made the move following a 3-2 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes, per Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos.

According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, Tom Rowe will take over as the club’s head coach.

Under Gallant, the Panthers went 38-29-15 in 2014-15 finishing with 91 points - a 25-point improvement from the previous season. Last season, the Panthers went 47-26-9 and won the Atlantic Division.

For his successful second season behind the Panthers bench, Gallant finished as the runner up to Barry Trotz for the Jack Adam's award as the league's top coach.

Despite injuries to key players the Panthers were 11-10-1 under Gallant this season.

The Panthers also fired assistant coach Mike Kelly, per TSN's Bob McKenzie. 

Rowe joined the Panthers last January as the club’s associate general manager. Prior to joining Florida, the 60-year-old coached the team’s AHL affiliates in San Antonio and Portland.

Florida resumes its six-game road trip on Tuesday night in Chicago.