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Report: Hynes may be front-runner for Devils job (while Boucher’s out)

Guy Boucher Getty

RIMOUSKI, QC - MAY 20: Head Coach of the Drummondville Voltigeurs Guy Boucher speaks to players during the game against the Rimouski Oceanic at the 2009 Mastercard Memorial Cup at the Rimouski Colisee on May 20, 2009 in Rimouski, Quebec, Canada. The Voltigeurs defeated the Oceanic 3-2 in overtime. (Photo by Richard Wolowicz/Getty Images)

Richard Wolowicz

The New Jersey Devils’ pursuit of a new head coach continues, and while they may once again come out and refute the latest reports, it sounds like we can cross off some names and promote another.

TSN’s Bob McKenzie reports that John Hynes (coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins’ AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton) may be the current front-runner. Meanwhile, McKenzie notes that one can probably cross former Tampa Bay Lightning coach Guy Boucher (pictured) off the list of possible candidates, as it appears that he’ll continue to coach in Switzerland.

That last bit of news may be a bummer to some, as many found some entertainment in hypothesizing about the source of Boucher’s Bond villain-style scar. The guy also tended to make some humorously dramatic facial expressions, as you can see from this post’s main image.

(You could also make a joke about upping the use of the 1-3-1 trap in New Jersey, if you’re into especially nerdy hockey humor.)

Hynes certainly makes sense from a familiarity standpoint, as new Devils GM Ray Shero is quite familiar with him. Beyond that, he’s enjoyed quite a bit of success in the AHL and seemed to have a good chance to nab the Penguins’ gig last summer, at least according to betting odds.

By no means is this official, but McKenzie does discuss what would happen next if the Devils do make the decision: