A New Leading Candidate Named for Boston Bruins' Head Coaching Vacancy

 With Rick Tocchet now off the table, the Boston Bruins are turning their attention to another notable name as they continue their head coaching search. According to insider Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff, former Edmonton Oilers bench boss Jay Woodcroft is a "leading candidate" for the Bruins' job.

I think he's a leading candidate in Boston... I think things have gone well (in the interview process) with him there.

Now that the big domino (and one of the Bruins' top choices) has fallen (Tocchet), it's opening up the logjam as teams begin to fill their coaching vacancies, per Seravalli. 

The Bruins fired Jim Montgomery just 20 games into this past season and replaced him behind the bench on an interim basis with Joe Sacco. But the Beantowners continued to have a disappointing season, and they are looking to make a bigger, more permanent move at head coach. 

They finished this past season with a 33-39-10 record, in last place in the Atlantic Division, just two years after winning the Presidents' Trophy with an all-time record 135 points. 

Jay Woodcroft on Boston Bruins' short list for new head coach

They may have some stiff competition for Woodcroft, if that's indeed their man.

It should be noted that with Ken Holland also being officially hired on Wednesday as the LA Kings' new general manager, the Bruins may need to act fast if they have designs on Woodcroft. Holland, the former Oilers' GM, might also be interested in him, seeing as he hired him as head coach in Edmonton. 

Holland must first decide if he wants to make a coaching change away from Jim Hiller. The Kings' bench boss even admitted last week that he was unsure about his future in LA, despite a very solid 69-37-10 record in his season-and-a-half at the helm in Hollywood. 

Woodcroft had a tremendous 79-41-13 mark behind the bench in his three years in Edmonton—his only three seasons as an HL head coach—for a .643 points percentage.

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