Report: AHL coach John Hynes to interview for Penguins coaching job next week

Dan Bylsma was fired after a season in which the Penguins went 51-24 and finished at the top of the Metro Division. (MCT/Getty Images)

AHL coach John Hynes will interview next week for the Penguins head coaching position, according to a report on Monday from Rob Rossi of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

The 39-year-old Hynes is the current head coach of the Penguins' AHL affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. He has been with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton for the past five years and is now the first candidate to be confirmed for an interview since former head coach Dan Bylsma was fired last week. Bylsma had two years and approximately $2 million annually remaining on his contract with the club. The organization named Jim Rutherford its new General Manager shortly before Bylsma was let go.

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According to the report, Rutherford has a short list of candidates and won't officially begin interviewing candidates until June 16. A new head coach is expected to be with the franchise by July 1 when the free agency period begins.

Hynes brings with him experience at all levels: NCAA (Wisconsin), the US National Team Development Program and USA Hockey at the U-18 and World Junior level, in addition to his last five years in the AHL.

This past year, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton finished 42-26-8 in the regular season.

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