Pittsburgh Penguins Request Pemission to Interview John Stevens, Willie Desjardins

After news broke this week that new Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford plans to interview NHL coaching veterans Ron Wilson and Marc Crawford to potentially fill the void by Dan Bylsma‘s firing, it looks like we could soon add another couple of names to the mix.

According to the CBC’s Elliotte Friedman, the Pens have asked the Los Angeles Kings for permission to interview assistant coach John Stevens for their head-coaching vacancy.

Friedman also notes that the Carolina Hurricanes and possibly the Vancouver Canucks have also requested permission to interview Stevens.

Stevens was a candidate to coach the Canucks last season, but the job went to John Tortorella, who was fired after one season in Vancouver.

He was promoted to the role of associate head coach in Los Angeles just yesterday and reports would suggest that Stevens is happy with his role in Los Angeles.

In four years as the head coach of the Philadelphia Flyers from 2007-10, Stevens has compiled a 120-109-34 record, making the playoffs in two of his four seasons on the bench, where his teams went 11-12 in 23 postseason contests.

Meanwhile the Penguins have reportedly also asked permission to speak to Texas Stars coach Willie Desjardins after the Stars just defeated the St. John’s IceCaps to win the Calder Cup, according to TSN’s Bob McKenzie.

McKenzie also notes that the Canucks have also contacted the Dallas Stars to request permission to speak to Desjardins.

Under Desjardins, Texas had the best regular-season record in the American Hockey League (48-18-3, 106 points). He also won two championships in eight seasons as coach and general manager of the Medicine Hat Tigers of the Western Hockey League.

In 10 seasons as a head coach split between the WHL and AHL, Desjardins has compiled a 424-222-67 record with 15 ties as well.