Coaching Notes: Carle, Quenneville, Tocchet

As the NHL offseason inches closer, the annual coaching carousel is off and spinning. A number of teams have already moved on from their head coaches, and rumors have been heating up on who their replaces may be. The list includes established veterans, up-and-coming assistants, and even standout coaches from the college ranks. One name that continues to surface in these conversations is David Carle, head coach of the University of Denver. However, Sportsnet insider Elliotte Friedman said on today’s 32 Thoughts Podcast that the belief is Carle will be returning to Denver.

Carle recently withdrew consideration for the Blackhawks position, but it appears he’s not currently interested in any coaching jobs in the NHL. As Friedman notes, things can always change as more positions become available, such as the Pittsburgh Penguins position becoming available today. But for now, it appears the 35-year-old coach has unfinished business at the NCAA-level.

In other coaching news:

• Friedman discussed the Anaheim Ducks and their level of interest in former coach Joel Quenneville. He said the belief is that Quenneville is in fact a serious contender for the position and added he believes several teams are also looking into Quenneville. With Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek expressing a clear goal of reaching the playoffs next season, Friedman suggests that’s why the team is showing interest in Joel Quenneville—a three-time Stanley Cup champion and the second-winningest coach in NHL history. With that said, Friedman also acknowledged how any team’s fanbase may be opposed to the hiring of Quenneville based on his past, which he said all teams are going to have to weight when determining whether or not to move forward with the veteran coach.
• Elsewhere, Friedman also mentioned that multiple teams seem to be working from a similar shortlist of coaching candidates—a list that, for several, includes Rick Tocchet. While Friedman doesn’t believe Tocchet has been granted permission by the Canucks to talk with other teams, he did key in on a piece of information president of hockey operations Jim Rutheford spoke on in a press conference recently. Rutherford acknowledged that the Canucks currently lack a dedicated practice facility—something Friedman believes Tocchet may have expressed frustration about. With positions available in Philly and Pittsburgh, Tocchet has ties with a few franchises currently looking for a head coach, so it will be interesting to see…