Former Vancovuer Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet may have returned to broadcasting for now, but it also seems as though he will consider all potential head coaching opportunities, not just those in the East.
In Don Taylor and Rick Dhaliwal's latest "Donnie and Dhali" show, Dhaliwal says Tocchet will not be doing television full-time in lieu of a new job coaching in the NHL.
"The TV's not the goal, it's coaching, folks!," Dhaliwal insisted.
"From reliable sources, one in particular, he interviewed with the Seattle Kraken?" Taylor asked Dhaliwal.
And then came the new information that paints Tocchet's divorce from the Canucks in an even worse light.
"Donnie, I can say this: It did catch some people off guard when Jim Rutherford said Tocchet would only coach back East," Dhaliwal said. "I am under the impression that Tocchet will listen to all teams, including Seattle, Anaheim, possibly L.A. if they make a change. Not just East Coast teams.
"There is a lot of interest in Tocchet. He is open to all East Coast, West Coast, Midwest, everything (...) It did catch people off guard that Rutherford said he'd only go back East."
As for the apparent interview with the Kraken? "I just heard of it this morning," Dhaliwal said.
"I know Anaheim's poking around. A lot of teams poking around on Tocchet. If he ends up in Seattle... my goodness. In your own division? That's like trading Thatcher Demko in your own division. You don't do that (...) The optics of him ending up in Seattle would be atrocious for the Canucks. Atrocious."
One would hope that the optics conjured by Rutherford's recent comments could not get much worse, and somehow, they very well might. An interview for Tocchet could be one thing, but a hiring would be another.
Dark times could be ahead for the Canucks and their loyal, patient fans.