NHL insider reports surprising developments in Sabres coaching hire

With reports last week that the Buffalo Sabres were waiting on the outcome of the Stanley Cup Final to interview the last remaining candidates for its head coaching vacancy, rumors were circulating that the team has honing in on Nashville Predators assistant coach Phil Housley and Pittsburgh Penguins assistant coach Rick Tocchet. However, news today from one NHL insider indicates that Tocchet was never in the picture.

TSN insider Darren Dreger reported this morning that the Sabres declined to contact Tocchet regarding their coaching vacancy, leading to speculation that a Housley hiring may be imminent. It’s a surprising development for sure, given that Tocchet’s history behind the NHL bench is a lot more decorated than Housley’s. Tocchet is a back to back Stanley Cup champion as an assistant coach and spent two volatile seasons behind the bench in Tampa Bay as a head coach. 

Housley, of course, has yet to win a Stanley Cup in his four seasons with the Predators, but does have a long history with the Sabres franchise. He spent eight seasons with the team in the 1980’s and is the team’s all time points leader on defense. A return to Buffalo for the NHL’s all-time leading point producer amongst American-born defensemen seems like a foregone conclusion at this point.