Add Pascal Vincent to the list of Calgary Flames coaching candidates

The Calgary Flames are currently scouring the National Hockey League (and the hockey world) for their next head coach. Reportedly interviews have already begun. Per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman in his 32 Thoughts column, you can add a new name to the list of candidates: Pascal Vincent, assistant coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Here’s Friedman:

The 51-year-old Vincent has been coaching pretty much since he retired after a very brief pro career as a player. He’s been an assistant coach in the NHL (Columbus, Winnipeg), a head coach in the AHL (Manitoba), a head coach in the QMJHL (Montreal, Cape Breton) and an assistant coach in the QMJHL (Saint-Jean), and he’s been behind a bench perpetually since 1994-95.

He was named the QMJHL’s coach of the year in 2007-08 and the AHL’s coach of the year in 2017-18. He might not be a flashy name and he seems to lack connections to the key figures in Calgary like Don Maloney, Craig Conroy or Dave Nonis, but he’s developed a reputation as a really effective, smart coach – that’s why he keeps getting hired.

In addition to Vincent, other names that have been booted around regarding the coaching search include (but are not limited to) Mitch Love, Ryan Huska, Kirk Muller, Alex Tanguay, Travis Green and Marc Savard. Gerard Gallant has been mentioned, but Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli noted he’s “too expensive” for the Flames. Friedman also noted that he thought the Flames would reach out to Peter Laviolette to gauge his interest, but reportedly Laviolette declined consideration for the job.

We’ll have more on coaching search as it continues to unfold.