When Tom Rowe was first hired, it didn’t seem like that bad a move. He had experience in the AHL and in Russia, and even had experience as an assistant coach for Carolina. And it wasn’t even a full season that he was going to be head coach. How bad could it get?
The answer to that is: so, so, so bad. Rowe has successfully drove the Panthers into the ground repeatedly and made them fall out of a playoff spot, and miss the playoffs. Unless they go on some miraculous 9-0-1 run.
He has been incompetent, outcoached, and made stupid lineup decisions on multiple occasions, and has cost this franchise what could have been an incredibly successful season.