May 23, 2024 | 10:40am ET
TheFourthPeriod.com

SHARKS, KRAKEN CONTINUE TO EVALUATE COACH CANDIDATES

Coachella Valley Firebirds Head Coach Dan Bylsma

With new bench bosses in Toronto, Los Angeles and New Jersey, teams are filling their Head Coach vacancies fairly quickly, these days.

The San Jose Sharks and Seattle Kraken are in the market for a new Head Coach themselves, and Sharks GM Mike Grier and Kraken GM Ron Francis are still scouring the market, doing their due diligence and having interviews with prospective candidates.

One new contender for the San Jose job is former Shark and current Ontario Reign (AHL) coach Marco Sturm, who is expected to be interviewed for the post this week.

The Sharks have already spoken with other potentials for the gig, including assistant coach Ryan Warsofsky, former Detroit Red Wings head coach Jeff Blashill and former Sharks and Kings coach Todd McLellan.

According to TFP’s David Pagnotta, former Chicago Blackhawks coach and current bench boss of the Abbotsford Canucks Jeremy Colliton is also in the running.

If Sturm does not get the job in San Jose, there is the possibility he joins Jim Hiller’s staff as an assistant coach in Los Angeles.

The Kraken are also working away at finding a coach, having spoken with such candidates as McLellan, current Kraken assistant coach Jay Leach and current Head Coach of the Kraken’s AHL affiliate, the Coachella Valley Firebirds, Dan Bylsma.

According to Pagnotta, Bylsma and Leach are believed to have gone through the second round of interviews in Seattle.

Pagnotta has reported that former Minnesota Wild coach Dean Evason is also up for the position in Seattle, while former Edmonton Oilers coach Jay Woodcroft, who was in the running in New Jersey, may also be under consideration in Seattle.

It is unclear when either team will be making a decision behind the bench, but with candidates coming off the table, moves could be made over the next several days.