While the Stanley Cup Playoffs roll on, so do the rumours circulating the eliminated teams looking for GMs and coaches. Have the Bruins narrowed their GM search? Could we see a Bylsma-Shero reunion in Jersey?
With the Edmonton Oilers and now the New Jersey Devils getting their front-office ducks in a row in advance of next month’s draft, that leaves the Toronto Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins on the general manager hunt.
ESPN Boston reports that the Bruins have advanced to the second round of interviews for their Peter Chiarelli successor, narrowing their list of candidates to four. Don Sweeney, currently serving as a Bruins assistant GM, has made the final four, according to ESPN’s source.
The Boston Herald, citing “an industry source,” reports that New York Rangers assistant GM Jeff Gorton has been contacted by the Bruins. Gorton was also speculated by ESPN as being on the shortlist.
Rangers GM Glen Sather, however, denied granting Gorton the go-ahead to interview for the competition.
“I haven’t given permission to anybody to speak to anyone and I won’t as long as we’re playing,” Sather told the New York Post Monday. “And there’s a question whether I would, anyway, after it’s over.”
Gorton has a history with the B’s, having held an assistant GM role when they drafted core forwards Patrice Bergeron, David Krejci, Milan Lucic and Brad Marchand.
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Ray Shero, who landed the New Jersey Devils GM post Monday afternoon, was also rumoured to be in the mix for the Boston gig.
Appearing on Hockey Central at Noon Tuesday, Shero spoke about his search for a new head coach.
Shero said he would meet with both Adam Oates and Scott Stevens, New Jersey’s co-head coaches last season, before heading over to the Czech Republic to watch the world championships and chat with other GMs.
Though Oates told us he wants the gig, Shero clarified that those meetings would not be “formal interviews.”
Oilers GM Peter Chiarelli reportedly met with free agent head coach Todd McLellan over in Europe. After watching some AHL Griffins playoff action, another free agent coach, Mike Babcock, is also heading overseas. Who knows? He may bump into a GM or two while he’s there.
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Tom Gulitti interviewed Shero for his Fire & Ice blog Monday, asking the GM about the possibility of hiring Dan Bylsma to coach in New Jersey. The two men, of course, won a Cup with Pittsburgh in 2009 and worked together on Team USA. Both were fired by the Penguins after the end of last season.
“Dan and I worked well together, but it’s one of those things that it’s a little dangerous to have certain preconceived notions or ideas on people or players because you’re going to be surprised both ways is what I’ve found,” Shero said.
“I believe Dan is a really good coach. He’ll be a head coach again in the National Hockey League, but I’ve got to do what’s best for the Devils, and Dan’s got to do what’s best for him and if that leads us a certain way, so be it. But, as I speak to you now, there’s certainly no preconceived notion on any persons or player or staff member.”
Shero also addressed Oates and Stevens with Gulitti: “Adam’s been a head coach before, and Scott I’ve heard real good things about him. So, in terms of the proper fit or the right guy for the New Jersey Devils, time will tell on that from asking some of the questions and seeing things.”
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Although there is no shortage of head coaching candidates out there, we can throw Guy Boucher’s name back in the mix.
TVA Sports’ L.A. Lariviere reporters that the former Tampa Bay Lightning head coach has been contacted by multiple NHL teams looking to fill the position.
The 43-year-old Boucher, who last coached in the NHL in 2013, has been plying his trade as the head coach for SC Bern in the Swiss A League.
