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For one-sixth of the head coaches in the NHL, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton has served as the final stepping stone to reach the highest level.

It’s a track record un-matched by any AHL team, and it’s a reason why the Pittsburgh organization has no shortage of candidates for the vacant head coach job at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

The NHL link is also a reason why Pittsburgh can take their time to find the perfect fit.

Since John Hynes was hired to coach the New Jersey Devils on June 2, several names have surfaced as his replacement in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, such as assistant coach Alain Nasreddine and former Edmonton bench boss Todd Nelson.

Nasreddine, who played for the Pittsburgh organization and served as Hynes’ assistant for five seasons, could be considered the front-runner but he’s also being targeted by other NHL teams, including Hynes and the Devils, for an assistant coach job.

Nelson is also reportedly being considered by other AHL teams, including Grand Rapids and Charlotte.

Still, Nasreddine and Nelson aren’t the only two candidates for the head coach’s job in Wilkes-Barre, thanks to the team’s history of transitioning its coaches to the NHL.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton CEO Jeff Barrett said Pittsburgh, who is handling the search, has been inundated with inquiries from highly-qualified coaches.

“There’s a tremendous amount of candidates both internal and external,” Barrett said. “With our success of coaches going to the NHL, this is a very sought after place.”

Barrett said finding a new coach for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton is a priority for Pittsburgh and interviews are ongoing. As far as when a decision could be made, Barrett didn’t put a timeline on the matter.

“It’s just waiting for the right coach,” he said.

Still, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton has been active in shaping its roster for next season. They re-signed captain Tom Kostopoulos and veteran defenseman Barry Goers along with rookie forwards Adam Krause and Ty Loney.

The free agency period begins on July 1 but Barrett said that isn’t a deadline to have a new coach in place.

While the input of a coach is important in player signings, Barrett said the task can be accomplished by Pittsburgh at the AHL level even before a head coach is named.

“The free agents are either someone we already had here or someone that Pittsburgh feels can help them as well as Wilkes-Barre/Scranton,” he said.

While Wilkes-Barre/Scranton hasn’t had to bring in a new head coach in the last five seasons, it’s not new territory for the club. Hynes was the team’s eighth head coach, including Rick Kehoe who coached three games in 2005.

‘We’ve done it before and it’s exciting for us to start over again,” Barrett said. “It’s a fresh start.”