The latest domino dropped on the NHL coaching carousel as Bruce Boudreau agreed to terms with the Minnesota Wild on a four-year deal Saturday night.
So where does that leave the rest of the market?
Here’s a roundup of all the latest news and rumblings from the Headlines segment on Hockey Night in Canada.
Will Darryl Sutter return to Los Angeles?
As Los Angeles Kings GM Dean Lombardi indicated on Friday, there is an offer on the table for current head coach Darryl Sutter, whose contract with Los Angeles is set to expire.
However, Sutter told Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, via text message, that he is still undecided about his future.
“He is still looking at what (Los Angeles) will look like, with free agents, the salary cap, and the prospects they have,” Friedman said. “The success he’s had there carries weight but he still wants to win another Stanley Cup and that is a big factor.”
Sutter has been with the Kings since the 2011-12 season, winning two Stanley Cups, but the team was bounced by the San Jose Sharks in the first round of this year’s playoffs, a year after missing the post-season entirely.
Where does Ottawa turn to?
The Ottawa Senators were heavily involved in the pursuit of Boudreau but will have to re-focus their search.
According to Sportsnet’s Damien Cox, the Senators have already talked to a number of coaches regarding the vacancy including Mike Yeo, Kevin Dineen, Randy Carlyle, which required permission from the Toronto Maple Leafs, and Marc Crawford.
Crawford, 55, hasn’t coached in the NHL since the 2010-11 season, but isn’t limiting his options.
“(Marc) Crawford may get some interest from Calgary, and (is) willing to look at an assistant job if a head coaching job isn’t available,” said Cox. “You have to wonder about Detroit. Tony Granato left there to coach at the University of Wisconsin.”
The veteran coach spent last season with the Zurich Lions in Switzerland, where he coached top prospect Auston Matthews.
Dark horse in Calgary
The Calgary Flames are looking for a new head coach as well, after firing Bob Hartley earlier in the week.
According to Friedman, one unheralded coach who could emerge as a candidate is Vancouver Canucks assistant Glen Gulutzan.
“Gulutzan and (Flames GM) Brad Treliving both played their junior hockey in Brandon,” Friedman said Saturday. “They were separate but there is a connection there and I was told not to be surprised if he gets an interview.
The 44-year-old has some NHL head coaching experience, as he spent two seasons coaching the Dallas Stars from 2011 to 2013. He missed the playoffs in both years.
Florida changing their front office structure?
It appears that the Arizona Coyotes aren’t the only NHL team restructuring their hockey operations.
The Coyotes made some waves across the league when they gave head coach Dave Tippett a new title along with more personnel power and promoted 26-year-old executive John Chayka to the general manager role.
In Florida, according to Friedman, the Panthers are expected to make similar but less drastic moves which will include promoting veteran executive Dale Tallon to a president of hockey operations role while Tom Rowe will carry the title of general manager and Eric Joyce will become the assistant general manager.
Tallon has helped turn the Panthers’ roster around, helping the club make the playoffs this past season after winning the Atlantic Division.
