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Tortorella interviewed for Flyers' head coach opening

Gregg Forwerck / National Hockey League / Getty

John Tortorella is among the candidates who have interviewed for the Philadelphia Flyers' head coaching job, the outspoken veteran bench boss confirmed Tuesday.

"Very fortunate to have the opportunity," Tortorella told ESPN, according to NHL.com. "But I will leave it at that."

Tortorella and the Columbus Blue Jackets mutually agreed to part ways after six seasons when his contract expired last May. ESPN then hired him as a studio analyst.

The Flyers are in the process of selecting their seventh head coach in the last 10 years. The club fired Alain Vigneault in December and opted not to retain interim coach Mike Yeo after finishing the season last in the Metropolitan Division with a 25-46-11 record.

Philadelphia is reportedly meeting with Barry Trotz this week as well. Trotz, who was surprisingly let go by the New York Islanders this offseason, is third on the all-time coaching wins list and is widely considered the top candidate available for the league's five head coaching vacancies.

Tortorella, 63, is a two-time Jack Adams Award winner as the NHL's coach of the year. Before his tenure with the Blue Jackets, he coached the Vancouver Canucks, New York Rangers, and Tampa Bay Lightning, winning a Stanley Cup with the latter in 2004.

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