Report: Mutual interest between Predators and Laviolette for coaching job
Peter Laviolette appears to be a strong candidate to replace Barry Trotz as coach of the Nashville Predators, according to reports suggesting mutual interest between the two sides.
Heard from multiple sources that there is strong interest from both sides for Peter Laviolette to become head coach of Nashville Predators.
— Jimmy Murphy (@MurphysLaw74) May 6, 2014
Laviolette boasts 759 regular season games of NHL experience, coaching the New York Islanders, Carolina Hurricanes and Philadelphia Flyers. He led the Hurricanes to a Stanley Cup championship in 2006 and lost in the Stanley Cup finals while coaching the Flyers in 2010.
Philadelphia fired Laviolette after an 0-3-0 start to the 2013-14 season. Laviolette was an assistant coach for Team USA at the Sochi Olympics.
Laviolette's career coaching record stands at 389-282-25. He is nowhere near the same kind of defensively-minded coach as Trotz and could look to implement a more high-tempo offense if Nashville decides to hire him.
Laviolette is also rumored to be in the running to fill the Florida Panthers' coaching vacancy.