Update, 12:57 p.m.:

#Pens GM Ray Shero announces team has signed head coach Dan Bylsma to a 2-year contract extension through the 2015-16 season.

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) June 12, 2013

Kevin DeLury:
Welp, scratch Bylsma off the list. Have to assume Sather was waiting on this before fully focusing on one candidate.

Original Post:
Many outlets have reported recently that Dan Bylsma's future with the Pittsburgh Penguins may be in doubt following the team's abysmal showing in the Eastern Conference finals against the Boston Bruins. To some degree, rightfully so. Bylsma has had the keys to the kingdom in terms of elite talent but hasn't won a Cup since 2009 -- not exactly a fireable offense but as we know, it's much easier to fire one head coach than 22 hockey players. Regardless of your views about the Pens' head coach, his fate may be decided sooner rather than later.

The same outlets have reported that if Bylsma were to be let go, he'd become the most sought out candidate for a head coaching job, including one right here with the New York Rangers.

According to Rob Rossi of Trib Total Media, Penguins' owner Mario Lemeiux and GM Ray Shero spent all of yesterday discussing Bylsma's future with the organization. He's entering the final year of his contract and, according to Rossi, there were no plans of an extension as of Tuesday.

A day after hearing that the Dallas Stars might be interested in the services of John Tortorella, Ben Kuzma at The Province reports that the former Rangers head coach had an interview with the Vancouver Canucks about their vacancy yesterday.

The Rangers gave the Canucks permission to speak with Tortorella.

...is Tortorella glutton for punishment? The New York media is a walk in the park compared to what he'd face in Vancouver. At least in New York, the Rangers are buried in the sports page. In Vancouver, Torts is going to find himself and his antics with the media on the back page more often than not.

...i'm also not sure how Tortorella's in your face style would play on a veteran team like the Canucks. To me it has all the makings of what happened to Bobby Valentine with the Red Sox last year. The veterans, who had seen a ton of success in Boston, disagreed that the team needed to be shaken up and sent a message to Red Sox management by giving up on Valentine. And if you don't believe me, here's what Canucks defenseman Kevin Bieksa said recently when asked about coaching candidates...

Another #NYR note: Rangers and reps for RFA D Ryan McDonagh have held preliminary contract talks, but nothing serious yet

— Katie Strang (@KatieStrangESPN) June 11, 2013

McDonagh just completed a three year deal that paid him $1.3 million per year ($875K salary + $425K performance bonus + $87.5K signing bonus).

...the Rangers are notorious for playing hardball with their RFAs (just ask Dubinsky & Del Zotto), so don't expect them to crack open the vault for McDonagh. At the end of the day, this is a business and the Rangers have the upper hand. In this salary cap NHL world, the Rangers have to be smart about signing their RFAs. Especially when Sather spends so haphazardly with UFAs.

John Moore recently spoke to Blueshirts United about the taking advantage of the opportunity he has in New York...

“It’s really refreshing going into the summer realizing that there’s a real opportunity here for me to grow my game. It’s going to make my approach to offseason training that much more intense. The onus falls on me to come in here and be in good shape, ready to go for camp.”

Moore also discussed the positive impact Dan Girardi and Ryan McDonagh have had on his game...

“For me to see those guys … and the way they prepare and their professionalism day in and day out away from the rink, that’s really priceless for someone like me to look up and see that.”

Meanwhile, another player in the Gaborik deal, Derrick Brassard, touches on the fresh start the trade offered him...

Larry Brooks at the New York Post reports the Rangers may seek to speak with Kings assistant John Stevens about their head coaching vacancy.

Stevens was the head coach in Philadelphia for 3+ years guiding them to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2007-08.

Brooks adds that the Canucks have shown interest in Stevens.

...Stevens is an interesting candidate. He had mixed results in Philadelphia with some very talented teams which included Mike Richards, Jeff Carter, Danny Briere and Simon Gagne. But the experience is there and I'm sure he's learned a lot under Darryl Sutter the last two years which will serve him well going forward.

...in Los Angeles, Stevens is in charge of one of the best defensive units in the NHL and has been given credit for getting the most out of Doughty when no one else could and developing Voynov.

Katie Strang at ESPN.com reports that the Dallas Stars have former Rangers head coach John Tortorella on their radar as they continue their search for a new head coach.

Strang adds that the Stars have yet to seek permission from the Rangers to speak with Tortorella.

...wonder if Torts will place a call to Sean Avery to get some insight into what Dallas has to offer. lol

...in all seriousness, I have to wonder if Torts ends up with the Stars, how that will affect Richards' interest in returning to Big D if the Rangers buy him out.

...Dallas is also strongly considering Rangers top candidate Alaine Vigneault, so Torts could help his ex-team out by interviewing well if Dallas brings him in.

John Shannon at Sportsnet reports that word is that Alaine Vigneault is on his way to the Rangers organizational meetings in California to be interviewed.

...nice to see the Rangers finally dip their toe in the water.

In other head coach vacancy news, Katie Strang at ESPN says that the Rangers sought and have received permission from the Sabres to speak with Lindy Ruff.

...while Sather has been slow to get started it looks like this should be a very interesting week in California.

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Update, 11:53 a.m.:

Told that there is nothing to speculation that Sather is stepping down as Rangers' GM.

— Larry Brooks(@NYP_Brooksie) June 10, 2013

Kevin DeLury:
Wait, an ESPN writer is misinformed about something hockey related? C'mon.

Original Post:
As if the New York Rangers' offseason hasn't been eventful enough with the surprise dismissal of John Tortorella as head coach, one more move could be on the horizon. And one the majority of the fan base has been clamoring for.

According to ESPN Boston columnist Jimmy Murphy on his personal website Murphy's Law, President and GM Glen Sather is considering relinquishing his GM role as the organizational meetings begin today in California.

From Murphy's site:

If Sather was to make such a move, he would retain his position as President of the Rangers and it’s believed he would name either Jim Schoenfeld — the current Rangers Assistant GM as well as Assistant Coach and General Manager of the team’s AHL affiliate the Connecticut Whale or current Rangers hockey consultant and former Wild GM Doug Risebrough to replace him as the new Rangers GM. Nothing is certain right now but according to these sources, Sather is seriously considering the decision.

Larry Brooks at the New York Post reports that the Rangers are expected to investigate Devils free agent defenseman Marek Zidlicky this summer.

The 36-year old Zidlicky, who just completed a three-year deal that paid him $4 million per, had 4g, 15a and was a -12 last season. He has 176 (45g, 131a) power play points during his career.

...earlier in his career Zidlicky was a stud on the power play, now he's nothing more than serviceable with the extra man. Although on the Rangers, serviceable would be a welcome change. At 36, I'd hate to see the Rangers offer anything more than a two-year deal at $2.5 million per.

...although with the way former Devils have performed on the Rangers (ie Gomez, Holik & Driver), I would almost rather they look in another direction.

Speaking of tri-state area UFA defensemen, Brooks adds that the Rangers are not likely to pursue Islanders captain Mark Streit when he hits free agency on July 5th.

According to reports, Streit could command a 4-year deal averaging $6 million per.

After another disappointing season in Edmonton, Oilers GM Craig MacTavish has decided to make his third coaching change in three years, by firing Ralph Krueger.

The man expected to replace him? That, according to Darren Dreger at TSN, would be top Rangers head coach candidate Dallas Eakins, who apparently has a deal in place with the Oilers and will be introduced early this week.

...i know the Rangers want to wait till their organizational meetings start tomorrow before addressing their head coaching vacancy, but it might be time for Sather to start doing something other than just passing out questionnaires or they're going to continue to find themselves missing out on some pretty good candidates. Especially when Dallas and Vancouver have already begun conducting interviews and the Penguins might be in the market for a new top guy very soon.

...unless of course Sather is planning on making his decision based on a Trottier-like dissertation again.

...now I don't want to kill Sather for Eakins going to Edmonton, because the former Marlies head coach might not have been interested in the Rangers opening, but I would have felt better knowing Sather at least gave him something to think about.