A new Wild coach might not be announced until late June following Todd Richards end of season firing, perhaps even after the NHL Draft, according to Minnesota Wild general manager Chuck Fletcher.
"I don't know that it would go much past that. I don't know how quickly it's going to come together, but I'm assuming by the end of June things should be taken care of," Fletcher told Charley Waters of the Pioneer Press. "But who knows - maybe something unexpected happens in a couple weeks. I don't anticipate this dragging on all summer, that's for sure. We've put a lot of time into it already. It doesn't have to be done by the draft, but usually these things get done by the draft."
Last week it was reported that former Edmonton Oilers coach and current TSN hockey analyst Craig MacTavish was interviewed, but Fletcher told Waters that he's not necessarily looking for a veteran over a younger guy - or requiring NHL head coaching experience.
It's possible that part of the reason the coaching search is still going on is due to Fletcher wanting to interview coaches who are still part of NHL Playoff teams, though it would make sense to have a coach in place regardless before the NHL Draft.