More Coaching Scuttlebutt

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Late on Friday we mentioned that Medicine Hat Tigers GM/Coach Willie Desjardins appears headed for the NHL's Dallas Stars. Tonight, two other credible reports have come our way as well as a third being discussed that also concerns Medicine Hat.

A Berry Good Fit In Kamloops?

TPS is hearing Brad Berry's name is coming up when the Kamloops Blazer's coaching job is mentioned. Currently Scott Ferguson leading the way as interim coach. Berry I'm told was a finalist for the job when Barry Smith was hired. He has been an assistant coach with the Manitoba Moose as well as the University of North Dakota. He also played in the NHL with Minnesota, Winnipeg and Dallas. Michael Dyck's name has also surfaced in the last day or 2, he most recently coached the Lethbridge Hurricanes before being fired last year.

Dave Barr Wild About Minnesota

The Pipeline Show, on the TEAM 1260 in Edmonton, has learned that Dave Barr (pictured right standing beside Tony Granato) will be joining the Minnesota Wild as an Assistant Coach. The Wild hired Todd Richards as their new bench boss just 12 days ago. Barr was a victim of the Colorado Avalanche house cleaning this off season, when the Avs finally got around to relieving Tony Granto after letting him drift in the wind for weeks. Before his gig with the Avalanche, Barr was the head man for the Guelph Storm of the OHL over a 4 season span, winning coach of the year honours in 2006. He was also Canada's Head Coach for the 2007 Ivan Hlinka U-18 tournament. This you might remember was when Kyle Beach ensured he would never play for Canada as a junior aged player, by covering the maple leaf with an OHL logo, as the Blackhawk prospect thought OHL players were getting preferential treatment.

As for Barr, it seemed like he was destined to return to junior hockey. Word is Barr was offered the Head Coach and G.M. position with the Lethbridge Hurricanes of the WHL recently, but turned it down to stay in the NHL as an assistant coach.

That still leaves two openings for the Hurricanes. While Rich Sutter's name keeps coming up as G.M. TPS has even heard that Michael Dyck could return as Head Coach and even Perry Pearn's (pictured) name has surfaced. I saw Pearn in the airport on Saturday, he was returning from the NHL draft in Montreal where he participated in a coaching clinic. I asked him if he had any irons in the fire and he said he was talking to a few people. I think he would make a great fit in Lethbridge until another NHL job comes up.