Former NHL head coach Mike Yeo a candidate for Senators’ post

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Travis Green is leaving no stone unturned in building his coaching staff for the Ottawa Senators.

A well-placed National Hockey League source told Postmedia late Wednesday that Green and Steve Staios, the club’s president of hockey operations and general manager, have interviewed former Minnesota Wild head coach Mike Yeo for one of the spots on the staff.

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Yeo, 50, who parted ways with the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday after being offered only a one-year contract extension, also has head coaching experience with the St. Louis Blues.

A source told the Vancouver Province that Yeo left the Canucks for “an opportunity closer to home.” There has been speculation he’s also on the radar screen to be part of Craig Berube’s staff with the Maple Leafs because Yeo is from Toronto.

But sources say Yeo has also spoke with Green.

Berube was Yeo’s associate coach in St. Louis for 18 months. He was hired by former Vancouver coach Bruce Boudreau before Rick Tocchet was brought in by the Canucks midway through last season. Yeo has also been an assistant with the Philadelphia Flyers for three years.

Green is armed with a four-year deal so he’d able to offer Yeo a longer-term deal if the Senators want to go that way.

But he’s not the only candidate on the radar screen.

It would make sense for him to try to bring in Manitoba Moose assistant Nolan Baumgartner because they have a long working relationship together along with former Anaheim assistant Newell Brown.

Though people have mentioned John Gruden, the head coach of the Leafs’ American Hockey League affiliate in Toronto, the sense is he’ll stay with the Marlies.

It’s not known if former Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson will return to his role as an assistant, but Green has certainly left it up to the Hockey Hall of Famer to decide.

bgarrioch@postmedia.com

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