Rumour Roundup: Is Canucks coaching search down to Foote or Malhotra?

Now that it's expected Rick Tocchet will join the Philadelphia Flyers, attention turns to who will take his spot on the Vancouver Canucks' bench.

The reigning Jack Adams Award winner chose to move on from the Canucks after a disappointing season, missing the Stanley Cup Playoffs by six points with a 38-30-14 record.

Elliotte Friedman discussed the latest buzz with co-host Kyle Bukauskas during Wednesday's episode of 32 Thoughts: The Podcast.

Friedman weighed in on reports that it's down to internal candidates Manny Malhotra and Adam Foote to take the reins in Vancouver.

"Obviously, those are two people that the Canucks know really well," Friedman said. "Foote’s been on their bench, Malhotra’s running their American Hockey League team, and teams are always comfortable with people they know, so I’m not surprised to hear that."

Malhotra coached the Abbotsford Canucks this season, and spent three seasons in Vancouver during his playing days, while Foote served as an assistant on the bench under Tocchet.

They're not the only candidates considered for the job, though.

Friedman believes the Canucks held an informal interview with Washington Capitals assistant coach Mitch Love. With the Capitals still in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Friedman said he thinks they would still like to meet face-to-face.

Love will have other options, according to Friedman, as will Marco Sturm, who also interviewed with Vancouver.

Sturm has spent the past three seasons as the head coach of the Los Angeles Kings' AHL affiliate, the Ontario Reign. He also served as an assistant coach with the Kings for parts of four seasons.

One thing that is looking very likely: the Canucks will hire a first-time head coach.

“I think they’re pretty comfortable with that," Friedman said. "They want somebody who’s going to want this job, want this opportunity and a lot of the names that we’ve mentioned here will be like that.

"I think one of the things they have to kinda work their way through here is that some of their candidates, like Love and Sturm, will have options but it doesn’t mean the Canucks don’t like them or aren’t interested in them."

Boston Bruins

One of those options for Sturm could be another one of his former teams and one he's more familiar with.

Although Sturm played only six games with the Canucks, he spent five years with the Bruins during his 14 seasons in the NHL.

"I think they like Sturm," Friedman said. "I think they’ve also talked to Jay Leach. There’s definitely more. I wondered about the possibility of Woodcroft there, too, but there’s definitely more. I think Sturm has a chance there, we’ll see. I wouldn’t say that’s a done deal by any stretch, but I think he’s got a chance."

Leach could get a promotion after serving as an assistant coach with the Bruins this season. Another option could be a different team he spent time on the bench with, which leads us to ...

Seattle Kraken

Friedman didn't know for sure, but he expected Leach would also interview with the Kraken.

Leach served as an assistant coach in Seattle before shipping up to Boston last year.

Kraken GM Jason Botterill could also turn to his past with the Buffalo Sabres. Friedman wouldn't be surprised if Don Granato, who coached Buffalo for four seasons and served as an assistant during Botterill's time there, was on the list.

Another name Friedman has heard is on the radar is Michigan State head coach Adam Nightingale, although he doesn't expect that to happen.

"Nightingale worked in Buffalo just before Botterill got there. They did not cross over," Friedman said. "Jason Botterill spent a lot of time in Michigan, and Nightingale coaches Michigan State, so there would be at least some familiarity with them as well."