The Buffalo Sabres are in the midst of, what TSN hockey insider Darren Dreger calls, Phase 1 of their head coaching search.
The team has reportedly been interviewing candidates at the professional, collegiate and European levels throughout the process, but there's one NHL assistant coach the team will not be interviewing.
According to Joe McDonald from the Worcester Telegram and Gazette, the Sabres would like to interview Ottawa Senators associate head coach Jack Capuano, but the team will not be allowed to talk to him.
This is a bit of a headscratcher, considering it is rare that an NHL team would block one of their assistants from a potential promotion on another team.
Capuano is most famous for his seven years spent as head coach of the New York Islanders from 2010-2017. In six full seasons as head coach of the Islanders, Capuano's teams made the playoffs three times, including one playoff series win over the Florida Panthers in 2016.
Capuano's career NHL record is 227-192-64, which averages out to roughly an 88-point pace over 82 games.
The 54-year-old just recently led the United States to a bronze medal finish at the 2021 IIHF World Championship.