Bruce Boudreau Hopes Kraken Gives Him Crack At Coaching Gig

The Seattle Kraken are vetting candidates to become their first head coach, and the NHL expansion team may be happy to know Bruce Boudreau has expressed an interest.

In fact, Boudreau told Ryan Clark of The Athletic that he is "extremely interested" in guiding the Kraken in 2021-22, scheduled to be their inaugural season.

"The thing about that job is it would be great to start with a team that is starting fresh and to be the builder of something," Boudreau said. "I think that is a real exciting thing… It is not like an expansion team in 1967. You knew then you were not going to be very good or have the dregs of every team. The way they have gone about it now, Seattle is going to start off with a pretty good team.

"Who knows if the call will ever come? I don’t want to get the call and say I am not ready and I don’t know what I would do and I don’t want to feel that way. This is the only thing I have ever known my whole life. ... If someone offers you a job, it is an amazing thing."

Boudreau, 66, was fired midway through his fourth year with the Minnesota Wild last season. He has also coached the Washington Capitals and Anaheim Ducks.

Without question, he has few rivals when it comes to available veteran coaches. He also previously worked with Kraken owner Tod Leiwecke and several other members of the front office.

At the very least, you have to think Seattle is discussing the possibility of Boudreau in private. And when it comes to coaching hires, general manager Ron Francis and the Kraken are likely about to get crackin'.

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Sam Amico spent 15 years covering the NBA for Sports Illustrated, FOX Sports and NBA.com, along with a few other spots, and currently runs his own basketball website on the side, FortyEightMinutes.com.