Updated:
The Canucks have in fact hired Travis Green to be their head coach. Green's Utica assistant Nolan Baumgartner will join him behind the Canucks bench.
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According to TSN's Bob McKenzie, the Vancouver Canucks are zeroing in on finalizing a contract with Travis Green to become their next head coach. The new deal could be announced in the next few days.
Green, 46, just completed his fourth season as the head coach of the Utica Comets after leading the team to the AHL playoffs. Last season Green’s Comets earned a playoff berth with a 38-26-8-4 record (.579%), good for third place in the North Division.
The year prior, Green led the Comets to the Calder Cup Finals in his, and the team’s, second year. The Comets finished the year as Western Conference regular season champions with a 47-20-0-9 (.678%) record.
In his inaugural season, 2013-14, Green led the Comets to a 35-32-5-4 (.519%) record and narrowly missed out on a playoff berth.
He was named the first head coach in Comets history on July 11, 2013. Prior to joining the Comets, Green spent four seasons with the Portland Winterhawks of the Western Hockey League.
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The Buffalo Sabres can cross Green's name off their head coaching candidate list.
The Sabres fired Dan Bylsma and GM Tim Murray late last week.
Bylsma will have a tough time finding a new head coaching gig for next season now that the LA Kings have hired John Stevens to their head coaching position.
Kings GM Rob Blake said Monday that no NHL team have reached out to ask for permission to interview former Kings GM Dean Lombardi. Blake said he will green light any NHL clubs that want to interview Lombardi.
“If we get called, yes," Blake said. "We have not been contacted at all yet.”
Buffalo Sabres owner Terry Pegula said Friday the Sabres had not yet talked to any prospective GM candidates.
The NHL Draft Lottery is Saturday night and there has been no word on which Sabres executive will represent the Sabres. The Sabres shakedown included the purging of Murray, his pro and amateur scouting directors.
Wouldn't it be a hoot if Buffalo actually won the NHL Draft Lottery but had nobody to accept the coveted prize from Bill Daly?
"We’re going to move as quickly and efficiently as we can," Pegula said. "Sometimes you talk to half a dozen or some people, and you need to talk to more people. It’s all a function of how our meetings go.
Pegula emphatically stressed that he is looking for his next GM to be disciplined, structured, communicative and a man of high character.
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The Sabres are looking at several heading coaching candidates including Chicago Blackhawks assistant coach Kevin Dineen, Boston University head coach David Quinn, and San Jose Sharks assistant coach Bob Boughner. Syracuse Crunch head man Benoit Groulx may also get an interview with Buffalo.
A dark horse candidate I have been told to keep an eye on is Minnesota Wild assistant coach Scott Stevens. Stevens is in his first season as an Assistant Coach with the Wild after being named to the position on June 7, 2016. He most recently served as an analyst for NHL Network.
Tim Murray didn't do a good job at all of sticking the organizational cupboards with NHL quality defensemen. Murray opted to draft forward Alex Nylander with the eighth overall pick at the 2016 NHL Draft rather than take sure fire D prospects Jacob Chychrun or Mikhail sergachev.
Perhaps Fletcher could swing pre-expansion draft trades with the Wild for his existing D were he hired by Buffalo.
Fletcher's time in Minnesota may have just come to an end with yet another first round departure from the Stanley Cup Playoffs. After eight years of trying and failing, Fletcher may be moved out to shift the leadership paradigm to his AGM Brent Flahr. Fletcher is no stranger to the ejector seat. His name is routinely murmured in the "next NHL to be fired" grapevine.
In 4 of his last 5 seasons, there have been concerns about Fletcher's roster. For the past 7-8 seasons, the Wild have been Tarzan in the regular season but Jane in the postseason. Having to battle the Blackhawks, Ducks, Kings, Blues, Sharks, Predators and the best of the West can be draining on a GM.
The owners of the Wild have held up their end of the bargain in authorizing spending to the cap to get the best veteran players available. The Wild draft better than any other team in the NHL yet they make early exits from the playoffs. Fletcher may lose his job in the weeks to come. Buffalo would be wise to move in on Fletcher, who is the best friend of their former GM Tim Murray.
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