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Sharks expected to hire Peter DeBoer as head coach: Report

AP Photo/Paul Sancya

A little over a week after Todd McLellan joined the Edmonton Oilers, the San Jose Sharks have reportedly found his replacement.

According to ESPN.com's Pierre LeBrun, the Sharks are expected to announce Peter DeBoer as their next head coach sometime this week.

After three years with the Florida Panthers, DeBoer was hired by the New Jersey Devils in 2011, making the Stanley Cup Final in his first year. The following two seasons they missed and he was ultimately fired this past December after a poor start.

One of DeBoer's assistants during that Cup run in 2012 Larry Robinson, who currently works for the Sharks and likely had some input in the selection process for the Sharks.

Sharks GM Doug Wilson has preached puck possession and DeBoer had some solid possession teams, via War on Ice, in Jersey before things fell off prior to his firing. He'll aso get a veteran team in San Jose, whereas trouble began when the Devils evolved into a younger squad.

It was time for a change behind the bench in San Jose. Now what will Wilson do in regards to the roster?

DeBoer’s hiring leaves the Sabres and New Jersey Devils as the only teams left without head coaches (we're banking on Jeff Blashill in Detroit) and likely paves the way for Dan Bylsma to head to Buffalo.

As for the Devils, Tom Gulitti listed several names on Wednesday that new GM Ray Shero could choose from. With a Pittsburgh reunion unlikely with Bylsma, could that open the door for John Hynes, who coached the Penguins' AHL side in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton for the last five seasons?

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Sean Leahy is the associate editor for Puck Daddy on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!

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