Update: Dan Bylsma extended for two years. So check that name off the list.
The NHL’s coach-search rumor mill is turning at full speed. John Tortorella is going to be the coach here, and in Vancouver and probably somewhere else, you know. To throw more fuel on the fire the Dallas Morning News’ Tim Cowlishaw stirred the pot in the paper yesterday when he alleged that Dave Tippett would “gladly” return to the Dallas Stars.
The word is that Tippett would gladly return to Dallas and a financially stable environment that new owner Tom Gaglardi has created. Is he the Stars’ best hope?
I think it’s between Tippett and Vancouver’s Alain Vigneault, who has been interviewed by Nill. [DMN]
“The word is that…”
David Amber of NHL Network says Nill’s interview count stands at six already without “Torts”.
#Stars GM Jim Nill says he has already interviewed 6 potential head coaching candidates and he plans to talk to Tortorella too
— David Amber(@DavidAmber) June 11, 2013
Then for another wrinkle there’s this from Rob Rossi of The Tribune:
Ray Shero and Mario Lemieux talked all day Tuesday. Ron Burkle was in on the discussions, too.
Shero, the Penguins‘ general manager, met with majority co-owners Lemieux and Burkle to discuss several items, including the future of coach Dan Bylsma and assistants Tony Granato and Todd Reirden. The meeting began around 7 a.m. at Consol Energy Center and lasted until late in the evening. [TribLive]
Coaching decisions have not been made lightly this off-season. Witness Dallas’ timeline on Gulutzan, the Oilers on Kruger, and the Canucks on Vigneault. Teams are taking their time, and the increasingly intriguing market has GM’s and owners around the league thinking twice about what they have. Big name-availability could beget more of the same.
If Bylsma is fired, does he not become the top guy out there, and Pittsburgh, by a WIDE margin, the most attractive job?
So Nill and company have continued incentive to wait and see. Or we’re really wrong and they announce a coach tomorrow.
***
- Bryan Bickell is saying he’d like to stay with the Hawks. You know, because what else can he possibly say before game 1 of the SCF? [ESPN Chicago]
- Burnside says lack of consistency between regular season and playoff officiating causes fans to feel confused, or even “stupid.” I think it mostly just makes us angry. We know what the rules are. [ESPN]
- The Ray Whitney and Jaromir Jagr experiments have made Mike Heika into a believer where the Gonchar move is concerned. [DMN]
- The Toronto Sun says the Canucks are pushing hard to get John Tortorella. That ought to liven things up around there. It’s been so drab in the Luongo era. [The Sun]
- Malkin, Fleury, Bylsma… They’re having so much fun in Penguin-land right now. [Sporting News]
- Here’s a fan mock draft that has Dallas taking forward Hunter Shinkaruk of Medicine Hat. [FanSided]
- Kari Lehtonen needs your help in voting for play of the year, as he’s currently losing to Cody Hodgson. Also he needs to stay away from cars designed to go 200 MPH. That’s too fast. For our international readers, I think 200 MPH is like 4,000 KMH. Look it up. [TSN]
Amazing how he was only here for about 32 games, but it seems Stars fans think of Jagr as one of their own forever now…