NEWARK, N.J. – Kurt Kleinendorst wasn't surprised when Wild director of minor league operations Jim Mill walked into his office Sunday night to fire him.

"Since Day 1 [last season], it's been a struggle," the beleaguered, now-former Iowa Wild coach said.

Kleinendorst had been talking about his future with Mill for some time and was growing increasingly frustrated by his 2-10 team's lack of response with every button he pushed.

"I always feel that your teams are a reflection of you, and this team was by no means a reflection of me," Kleinendorst said. "It was difficult to get this group to buy in to what I needed them to do, and I own that. I won't pass that off on anyone. I was disappointed, and in the end embarrassed for the way we were playing, but I was also relieved that it was over."

Kleinendorst said it was time to move on from a "bad experience" after he challenged the Wild's youngsters over and over to no avail.

"The last thing any organization wants is for their young kids to be developing in a losing environment because it's not healthy," Kleinendorst said. "We tried and tried and tried. We tried pretty much everything. At the end of the day, what options are left? This is what's left, so I get it."

Replacing Kleinendorst is John Torchetti, who coached the Wild's former AHL affiliate Houston Aeros to consecutive playoff berths and would have relocated to Des Moines last year had he not signed a lucrative contract to coach in Russia. Torchetti has won a Stanley Cup as an assistant with the Chicago Blackhawks and has been an interim head coach with the Florida Panthers and Los Angeles Kings.

"He's got a great track record of developing and winning," Mill said. "We believed in it at the time we hired him originally and still do, and he's done this transition thing before, which is a difficult thing."

Torchetti said he was "fired up to be back with the organization." But he might have a chore on his hands trying to jolt struggling players such as Brett Bulmer, Zack Phillips, Tyler Graovac and Johan Gustafsson.

Kleinendorst said firing him is a win-win for Wild General Manager Chuck Fletcher because he'll now get to find out if the problem was the man behind the bench or the players.

"It's got to be one or the other," he said.

Mill said the Wild "absolutely" still believes in the prospects but agreed, "We're going to find out a lot about a lot of people."

Kleinendorst said Iowa needs a no-nonsense coach like Torchetti.

"I think they need 90 percent jerk. Maybe that's what they deserve, and that's what he's going to give them," Kleinendorst said. "It's not often that I have a group that isn't willing to push for me."

Kleinendorst, 53, in his 25th year as a coach, said he'll step away from the game until his contract expires June 30.

"My belly's not burning right now," he said.

Etc.

• With rookies Matt Dumba and Christian Folin struggling, defenseman Jon Blum made his season debut and Nate Prosser returned to the lineup for the Wild on Tuesday night in New Jersey. With the change in coaches in Iowa and defenseman Jared Spurgeon nearing a return from a shoulder injury, Dumba and/or Folin soon could be staring at a stint in Iowa.

• Former Devils captain Zach Parise (concussion) skated hard Tuesday but was unable to play. Coach Mike Yeo said there's a chance Parise and/or Spurgeon could return Thursday against Buffalo.

• Left winger Matt Cooke (lower body) is not close to a return, Yeo said.

• Former Devils forward Ryan Carter returned to New Jersey for the first time since signing with Minnesota. He scored a shorthanded goal in the third period.

• Former Gophers defenseman Seth Helgeson made his NHL debut for the Devils and assisted on Tuomo Ruutu's second-period goal. Helgeson played four seasons for the Gophers (2009-13) before joining the Devils' AHL team in Albany, N.Y.