Rumor: NHL coach may soon be fired but is already drawing interest from rival teams.

It's been a very interesting year for head coach Willie Desjardins of the Vancouver Canucks, and likely a very difficult one as well. Desjardins has been surrounded by rumors of a potential coaching change for weeks if not months now but has garnered a measure of respect during that stretch as well for his consistent approach under pressure.

It's that respect that have now made the rumors of his potential firing all that much more interesting. TSN insider Darren Dreger is reporting that some teams are viewing a potential Desjardins firing in Vancovuer as an opportunity for their organization.

"I’ve actually had other teams – and I can’t be specific to the team or teams who have asked me – but I have been asked about Willie’s future and whether or not the sense is that Vancouver will go in a different direction,” said Dreger as per Fanrag's Chris Nichols. “And the reason I’ve been asked is there are teams out there who see him as a prime candidate. He’s a respected coach from an NHL perspective."

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You can bet that Canucks president Trevor Linden and general manager Jim Benning are aware of these rumors, and it will be interesting to see if it impacts any future decisions they make regarding Desjardins.