| | Associated Press
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Columbus Blue Jackets have spoken with
former Edmonton Oilers coach Ron Low and Colorado Avalanche
assistant Bryan Trottier about being the franchise's first head
coach.
President and general manager Doug MacLean said he would have
the final three interviews on Wednesday and probably would announce
the choice next week.
Low went 139-162-40 in 4½ years with Edmonton, never finishing
the regular season above .500. He was an assistant coach with the
Oilers for six years before taking the top job.
Trottier has spent the last two seasons with the Avalanche and
was an assistant with the Pittsburgh Penguins from 1994 to 1997. As
a player, he won six Stanley Cup titles, four with the New York
Islanders' dynasty of the 1980s and two more with the Penguins in
1991 and 1992.
Several publications have reported that the Blue Jackets have
interviewed Detroit Red Wings associate coach Dave Lewis, Los
Angeles Kings assistant Dave Tippett, former Calgary Flames head
coach Dave King, Philadelphia Flyers Hall of Famer and minor-league
coach Bill Barber and ex-San Jose assistant Paul Baxter.
Last week, MacLean said, "Some of those names are in the mix."
MacLean is in Calgary for the expansion draft Friday and the
amateur draft Saturday and Sunday. He said he regretted not having
a coach in place for the draft, but had not had time for interviews
because of personnel decisions and pre-draft planning.
"I think I have got it narrowed down to probably three guys,"
he said. "I want to finish the interviews and maybe one of these
will knock out somebody."
The other NHL team beginning play this fall, the Minnesota Wild,
hired Jacques Lemaire as coach on Monday. Lemaire has experience as
a player, assistant and scout and was the head coach of the 1995
Stanley Cup-winning New Jersey Devils.
| |
ALSO SEE
Sabres assistant in running for Blue Jackets coaching job
|
