According to Chris Vivlamore’s most recent blog post three of the four NHL organizations Rick Dudley has spoken to about talking to coaches are still involved in the playoffs. That could mean the NHL or AHL plaoffs, so here are the teams that could be included in those three:
NHL
- Pittsburgh
- Montreal
- Boston
- Philadelphia
- Detroit
- San Jose
- Chicago
- Vancouver
AHL
- Hamilton (Canadiens)
- Abbotsford (Flames)
- Chicago (Thrashers)
- Hershey (Capitals)
- Manchester (Kings)
Based on what Dudley has said on the record since taking over the GM duties and coaches he has existing relationships with, contenders for the head coaching job could be Don Lever (Chicago Wolves), John Torchetti (Chicago Blackhawks), Craig Ramsey (Boston Bruins), Scott Arniel (Manitoba Moose, who are the AHL affiliate of Vancouver) and Guy Boucher (Hamilton Bulldogs, who are the Montreal affiliate). The non-playoff candidate? I have no idea.
It is interesting that Vivlamore made no mention of coaches of who are currently not tied to an NHL organization. That would rule out guys like Mike Keenan and Bob Hartley who have been out of work for a season or more.
My choices, in order
Stevens
Hitchcock
Hartley
MacTavish
Therien
DO NOT HIRE Torchetti. Might be a good coach. But everything that’s being said of him was being said of Anderson, and we all know how that worked. DO NOT hire a first time NHL coach. PLEASE.
I think everybody has seen what Hitchcock and Hartley bring, and it is not what we need. They are good with experienced players, not youth.
1 John Stevens
2 Scott Arniel
3 John Torchetti
Torchetti all the way. The guy is a winner!