Here's a daily dump of all coaching updates from Thursday, Cinco De Mayo
Bruce Garrioch wrote:The Minnesota Wild and Calgary Flames are both looking for a new bench boss along with the Ducks. The Wild haven’t decided if they’re going to keep interim coach John Torchetti and interviewed Boudreau on Tuesday while the Flames wished Bob Hartley well on Monday and are among four teams now looking for a new bench boss.
You have to think the Wild are moving on from Torchetti if they are interviewing other people because it would be odd for GM Chuck Fletcher to suddenly stop the process now.
Maybe the best bet for Dorion and the Senators, if they’re impressed with what they hear from Boudreau during what’s expected to be a lengthy meeting Friday, is to suggest he doesn’t leave town. If he’s going to be on shortlist of two or three candidates the club could compile by the end of the day, then the Senators could move onto Round 2 immediately.
It’s not like this hasn’t been done in the past.
When the Edmonton Oilers hired GM Peter Chiarelli last year, they contacted him only days after he’d been fired by the Boston Bruins to see if he’d fly out for an interview. He arrived in Edmonton on the Monday and since Oilers president Bob Nicholson knew he had a captive audience with Chiarelli in town, basically kept meeting with him in the city until he signed a deal.
By the Wednesday the Oilers had asked Chiarelli to fly his wife into Edmonton to get a look at the city and Friday morning he was introduced as the replacement for Craig MacTavish. Yup, it all happened so quick, Chiarelli barely missed a paycheque.
The Senators certainly don’t want to rush their decision because they’ve got a solid group of candidates. But if they decide Boudreau is the right man for the job, nobody should be shocked if Dorion decides to speed up the process because the club is no longer the only team on the market looking for a head coach.
Bruce Garrioch wrote:THE COACHING LIST
Senators GM Pierre Dorion is expected to speak with as many as 10 candidates for the club’s coaching job by the time the search ends. Here are some names we know are on it:
BRUCE BOUDREAU, Anaheim and Washington: He is in town Friday to meet with the Senators and has a proven track record, which is what the club wants in its new coach. Was fired after the Ducks lost to the Nashville Predators in Round 1 in Game 7 at home.
MIKE YEO, Minnesota: Was fired in February with the club struggling. Has a strong track record with the Wild and will come heavily recommended by Minny GM Chuck Fletcher. Led to believe he’s already had a second interview.
GUY BOUCHER, Tampa Bay Lightning: He hasn’t worked in the league two years but he’s the darkhorse candidate. Has learned a lot being outside the NHL and there’s a strong belief that often a coach is better the second time around.
RANDY CARLYLE, Toronto, Anaheim: He met with Dorion recently and won a Stanley Cup with the Ducks in 2007 when they beat out the Senators. He will get consideration from the Flames and the Wild but has been out of the league for a year.
MARC CRAWFORD, Colorado, Vancouver, Dallas: He met with the Senators staff last week and has a strong resume, especially after a couple of years in Europe. Big issue for him is he didn’t make the playoffs the last four years he coached in the league.
BENOIT GROULX, Gatineau (QMJHL): He doesn’t have any head coaching experience in the NHL but he’s had a sitdown with the Senators. Not sure what kind of interview he had, but he would have had to be excellent. Possible fit for AHL Binghamton.
KEVIN DINEEN, Chicago, Florida: He is an assistant with the Hawks and was the head coach of the Panthers when they got to the playoffs in 2012. Has a previous history with winger Bobby Ryan because Dineen was behind the bench in AHL Portland. Well respected.
BOB HARTLEY, Calgary, Atlanta, Colorado: Not sure if he’s going to get an interview with the process winding down and Boudreau in town. The Senators nearly hired him in 2008 and Bryan Murray has often said he should have picked Hartley over Craig Hartsburg.
Michael Russo wrote:Wild GM Chuck Fletcher, who did his best to get in front of the Bruce Boudreau line of suitors, appears to be in waiting mode.
Boudreau, the former coach of the Anaheim Ducks, is expected to interview with the Ottawa Senators on Friday. The Senators have also interviewed several other strong candidates, including Mike Yeo twice, Randy Carlyle, Marc Crawford and Guy Boucher.
Just sayin', don't be shocked if Boudreau desires a chance to coach Ottawa over Minnesota. Besides the fact Boudreau is from Toronto, his mom lives in St. Catharines and he has a daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter who live ... in Ottawa.
This is why there was zero chance Fletcher could dissuade Boudreau from even interviewing in Ottawa.
This doesn't mean Boudreau is offered the Ottawa job. The Sens are well into their coaching search and owner Eugene Melnyk reportedly said the list should be down to a handful by the weekend.
But if Boudreau has the choice between the two jobs, the lure of being so close to family could sway him over simply money.
(If you missed it, Patrick Reusse wrote a nice feature on Boudreau today).
While Fletcher has contacted and talked with a number of potential coaching candidates, I have not been able to confirm that any interviews have been conducted or scheduled besides Boudreau, Randy Carlyle and John Torchetti.
That obviously could change, but it would not be shocking if he's in wait-and-see mode regarding Boudreau. As usual with something like this, there are a ton of moving parts.
I heard that Torchetti was supposed to meet with Fletcher again on Wednesday, but I'm not certain that conversation took place.
Two candidates out there that I hear Fletcher has talked with by phone are Crawford and Boucher.
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