TSN's Darren Dreger reported via Twitter that he hears Wild GM Chuck Fletcher is in California today.
This jibes with what I was hearing yesterday, which is why I ended yesterday's John Torchetti/Bruce Boudreau blog with, Both Boudreau and [Randy] Carlyle live in southern California, so if Fletcher's planning a trip there, he could conceivably kill two birds with one stone, so to speak.
I couldn't second source that the reason Fletcher met with Torchetti yesterday was because he planned to fly to California last night for "a couple days." As of now, I haven't confirmed Fletcher is in California, but like I said, what the always trustworthy Dreger reports jibes with what I heard yesterday.
I believe Boudreau is meeting with Fletcher today.
As I also have reported, Fletcher is interested in Randy Carlyle. He lives in southern California, too, so it would make sense that Fletcher meets with them both while in the O.C. the next few days.
Fletcher is usually patient and methodical. The fact he's being so aggressive here shows the urgency of the situation.
Boudreau is very likely at the top of his list. But Ottawa has also been granted permission to talk to Boudreau, and after today's news that Calgary has fired Bob Hartley, Calgary will surely seek permission, too.
So, suddenly, Boudreau's got a line of suitors.
It certainly sounds like Fletcher is putting on the hard sell. I'm sure he would love to wrap up this coaching search quickly. I'd guess though that Boudreau will want to meet with Ottawa and Calgary, so I'd suspect this search won't end imminently.
I'll update the blog later if there's a need or further confirmations of anything.
And, of course, Hartley is suddenly another name available if Fletcher wants to do his due diligence there.
Hartley, who won a Cup with Colorado, was 134-135-25 in four seasons with Calgary and won the Jack Adams last season as Coach of the Year. But the Flames came back to life this season in large part because of goalie issues.
But from everything I've been hearing before the Hartley news came down, Boudreau, Carlyle and Torchetti are the guys Fletcher is really focusing on. Fletcher does have interest in Anaheim assistant coach Paul MacLean, but from what I heard as of yesterday, it didn't sound like the Ducks granted Fletcher permission to talk with MacLean yet.
"Bob has taken this team as far as I feel he can take it," Flames GM Brad Treliving said of Hartley. "Each coach has their own style, their own way of doing things. Bob, to me, is able to get a lot out of players. But when you sit back and review and as I've gone through this process over the last few weeks, I felt for us to move forward as an organization that it was time, it was important and it was critical that we made this decision."
