He had coached the Canadiens for parts of the past five seasons and also from 2000-03, and also coached the Penguins from 2005-09. He's 406-303-82 with 23 ties in 814 regular-season games.
The Panthers moved coach Tom Rowe to special advisor to president of hockey operations and general manager Dale Tallon on April 10, one day after the regular season ended. Rowe, who began the season as the Panthers general manager, had replaced Gerard Gallant as coach after firing him Nov. 27. The Panthers finished 14 points behind the Toronto Maple Leafs for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference one season after winning the Atlantic Division.
"We've interviewed a half-dozen guys, probably going to do another half a dozen or so," Panthers general manager Dale Tallon told Sportsnet on Saturday. "We're looking for a guy that's a good communicator, is a good teacher, a modern guy, a contemporary-type guy that can deal with these millennials and Generation Z, whatever that means. That's what we're looking for, somebody that has a little experience but who also is very knowledgeable about how to deal with young players because we have a young core."
University of Denver coach Jim Montgomery also reportedly interviewing for the job.
