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Canucks GM Benning says Bylsma is ‘an interesting name’ out there

Dan Bylsma

Pittsburgh Penguins’ Dan Bylsma, center, gives instructions to Matt Niskanen (2), and Sidney Crosby (87) during a time out in the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Chicago Blackhawks in Pittsburgh, Sunday, March 30, 2014. The Penguins won 4-1. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

AP

Former Pittsburgh Penguins coach Dan Bylsma has been without a job for almost a full day and his list of suitors continues to grow.

You can add Vancouver Canucks General Manager Jim Benning to the list of people taking a shine to Bylsma. As Iain MacIntyre of the Vancouver Sun shares, he has his hands full getting settled into his own new job but Disco Dan is on his radar.

“We’ve been in meetings all day, so we haven’t had a chance to really sit down and talk about it,” Benning said Friday afternoon of Bylsma’s sudden availability. “But he’s an interesting name, for sure.”

The Canucks have been in search of a new coach since they fired John Tortorella following the season. After such a poor and disappointing season, they’re in need of a new and better direction. Bylsma suddenly being available changes things up.

It was believed Willie Desjardins, head coach of the AHL Texas Stars, was one of the leading candidates for the Canucks job, but the Stars are in the Calder Cup Finals so he hasn’t been available to interview. Now with Bylsma available and Florida Panthers GM Dale Tallon already taking a shine to him, the Canucks may be pressed for time to make a decision.

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