Only two days have passed since Peter Laviolette was fired as coach of the New York Islanders, so his long-term future isn't really in focus.
This much, however, is clear: Laviolette intends to be back behind an NHL bench next season.
And he would have no qualms about doing it with the Penguins.
Laviolette said last night that he still has not talked to his agent about job options and that he doesn't "have a lot I want to say at this point" about the Penguins' coaching vacancy.
He did, however, characterize it as "a chance to work with some great young players" and pointed out that he has orchestrated turnarounds for several teams during his coaching career.
"Success has followed me in an area where I've gone into situations that haven't been good and have been able to turn it around," he said.
Penguins General Manager Craig Patrick has consistently declined to identify, let alone discuss, candidates for the Penguins' job, but Laviolette's resume figures to get him more than cursory consideration for the position that opened when Rick Kehoe was fired in mid-April.
Laviolette also is a viable candidate to take over as coach in Boston. He has substantial ties to the Bruins, having coached their American Hockey League affiliate in Providence for two seasons, winning one AHL championship, and serving as an assistant in Boston for one year before taking the job on Long Island.
Laviolette is under contract to the Islanders for another year, at a salary reported to be $500,000. Islanders General Manager Mike Milbury, though, said he will not prevent Laviolette from seeking work with another club.
New York was 77-62-19-6 in Laviolette's two seasons behind the bench and reached the Stanley Cup playoffs both times after failing to qualify since 1994.
Milbury, though, told reporters he decided to replace Laviolette with minor-league coach Steve Stirling, at least in part, because "the line of communication between the players and the coach snapped."
Laviolette reportedly was criticized by some players during their end-of-the-year meetings with Milbury. Laviolette told Newsday, a Long Island newspaper, that it was "absolutely no shock at all," to be fired.
He added, rhetorically that "if so many complained [about his work], then why did so many people have career years?" Whatever the reason, Laviolette became the sixth coach fired by Milbury since 1997.
Laviolette, who spent most of his 11-year career as a defenseman in the minor leagues, broke into coaching with the Wheeling Thunderbirds of the East Coast Hockey League in 1997 and spoke warmly of the style and quality of life in this region.
And he talked in plain terms about what he hopes to accomplish, both in the near and short term. "I do want to work," he said. "I do want to coach. And I do want to win a Stanley Cup."
NOTES -- The Penguins have fired media relations director Steve Bovino and are expected to promote media relations manager Keith Wehner into that position. ... The Islanders plan to hold a portion of their training camp in Wheeling this fall and will play an exhibition game against the Penguins there.
Dave Molinari can be reached at 412-263-1144.
Laviolette interested in Penguins' opening 
E-mail this story 
