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Buffalo Sabres waiting to interview Phil Housley for head coaching vacancy

By Brad Berreman

Mar 8, 2016; Winnipeg, Manitoba, CAN; Nashville Predators assistant head coach Phil Housley watches the play during the second period against the Winnipeg Jets at the MTS Centre. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Fedyck-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 8, 2016; Winnipeg, Manitoba, CAN; Nashville Predators assistant head coach Phil Housley watches the play during the second period against the Winnipeg Jets at the MTS Centre. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Fedyck-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Buffalo Sabres are aiming high in their search for a new head coach, and a hire is likely not coming until the Stanley Cup Final is over.

Now that the Florida Panthers have reportedly settled on Bob Boughner as their new head coach, the Buffalo Sabres are the only NHL team without a man behind the bench for next season. Fired general manager Tim Murray was fairly quickly replaced by Jason Botterill, but a replacement for dismissed head coach Dan Bylsma has not been settled on yet.

Botterill came from the Pittsburgh Penguins organization, which has made Penguins’ assistants coaches Rick Tocchet and Jacques Martin easy candidates to become Buffalo’s next head coach. But an assistant for the other Stanley Cup finalist is also on the radar.

Along with Tocchet and Martin, the Sabres are also waiting to interview Nashville Predators assistant coach Phil Housley. Once the Stanley Cup Final is over, possibly as soon as after Game 6 on Sunday night if Pittsburgh wins, Buffalo seems sure to start a quick run of interviews before the draft later this month.

Housley played in the NHL from 1982-2003, compiling the second-most points (1,232) by an American-born player and the fourth-most points by a defenseman in league history. He coached Team USA to a gold medal in the 2013 World Junior Championship, and joined the Predators’ coaching staff in time for the 2013-14 season. After one season under Barry Trotz, current Nashville head coach Peter Laviolette kept Housley on his staff.

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Housley was drafted sixth overall by the Sabres in 1982 out of South St. Paul (MN), and he spent the first eight seasons of his career in Buffalo. That past tie to the organization may matter to Sabres’ owner Terry Pegula, who also owns the NFL’s Buffalo Bills and seems fully committed to doing what he can to get positive vibes from fans. That said, Housley also has the credentials to be a worthy head coaching candidate.

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