Five names emerge as candidates to be the first head coach of the Golden Knights.

They have an arena, and NHL team, a GM, and now they want a coach.

HockeyFeed
HockeyFeed
Published 7 years ago
Five names emerge as candidates to be the first head coach of the Golden Knights.

There are some very interesting names floating around for the newly created head coaching vacancy in Las Vegas.

With the team now officially unveiled as the Las Vegas Golden Knights the organization has now begun it's search for it's first ever head coach, and there are already five names in the rumor mill. The Golden Knights have reportedly already compiled a list of candidates but unfortunately that is a list that is unlikely to be made public anytime soon, if ever, however Sportsnet insider Elliotte Friedman already has some ideas of who may be on the list.

“I think they’re looking at some of the up and comers who we’ve heard mentioned for some jobs over the last little while,” said Friedman as per Nichols on Hockey. “I would say that probably Travis Green – who’s coaching Utica, who is Vancouver’s American Hockey League team – if he’s not the future coach in Vancouver, I think he’d be there.

“I think Todd Reirden – he was in Pittsburgh when George McPhee was in Washington. He’s now with the Capitals. He’s a guy that nearly got the Calgary job, and I bet you he would be a name that would get mentioned."

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Friedman also believes that the success of head coach Dave Hakstol of the Philadelphia Flyers has put NCAA coaches on the map for many National Hockey League general managers, and as a result believes two of the names on the list may be from the NCAA.

"One is Jim Montgomery at the University of Denver. The other is the guy who replaced Hakstol at North Dakota – that’s Brad Berry. He used to be an NHL player."

As far as coaches with NHL experience we will likely know more at the end of the regular season if and when some of the NHL's current coaches are relived of their duties. However again according to Friedman there may already be one name on that list.

“Another veteran who I think might have a name in all of this – Paul MacLean in Anaheim. He’s a guy who is itching for a second chance after being in Ottawa, and I wouldn’t be surprised if his name gets thrown into the ring too. He’s right near there, obviously.”

There is likely much more to come on this story as it will continue to develop over the regular season.

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