Former Penguins coach Herb Brooks isn't expecting to be named as Rick Kehoe's successor behind the bench, but that hasn't stopped Brooks from applying for the job.
"He's already called me," Penguins general manager Craig Patrick said Tuesday. "He's already put his name in."
Patrick said Brooks' name is one of "more than 30" the Penguins have received from interested candidates who have either phoned or sent in resumes since Kehoe was fired April 15.
"At some point, we're going to say 'that's enough,' " Patrick said. "We'll sit down and sort through the list and decide who we want to talk to. If there are some people we want to talk to who are not on that list, I'll talk to them."
Brooks, 65, just completed his eighth season in the Penguins' organization and first as the director of player development.
"I don't see this thing coming my way," Brooks said. "I don't see it at all.
"I haven't heard from them. I'm just doing my job."
Brooks was named the 15th head coach in Penguins' history Dec. 9, 1999, replacing Kevin Constantine.
Brooks guided the Penguins to a 29-23-5-2 record and to the second round of the NHL playoffs in 1999-2000, where they lost in six games to the Philadelphia Flyers in a series remembered for the five-overtime epic that was Game 4 (a 2-1 Philadelphia victory that evened the series at two games apiece). He returned to his duties as a scout with the Penguins, the job he had held prior to replacing Constantine, upon the completion of the series and the season.
"When I was there, I liked Pittsburgh very much," Brooks said. "I really liked working with Craig Patrick, E.J. (Eddie Johnston), Mario (Lemieux), Chico (Kehoe)."
Brooks' wife continued to live in the couple's home in Minnesota when he coached the Penguins.
Former Buffalo Sabres coach Ted Nolan said he would apply for the job in the wake of Kehoe's dismissal.
Carolina Hurricanes assistant Kevin McCarthy has informed the Penguins of his interest.
Nashville Predators assistant Brent Peterson hasn't been contacted by the Penguins and will not contact them -- but is interested in the position.
Patrick remains unencumbered by any sort of timetable for finding Kehoe's replacement.
"When we pick the right guy, that's when it will be," he said.
Kehoe was among the lowest-paid coaches in the NHL last season, when he earned between $350,000-$400,000.
As for what the next coach will make, Patrick said the Penguins "haven't put any restraints on it at this time."
Brooks said he had "no idea" when asked if the Penguins might be willing to up the ante this time.
Brooks is most famous for coaching Team USA to the gold medal at the 1980 Winter Olympics. He also coached Team USA to a silver medal in 2002, when NHL players competed in the Olympics, and coached France in the 1998 Games.
Brooks' NHL resume includes stints as a head coach with the New York Rangers (1981-85, when Patrick was the Rangers' GM), the Minnesota North Stars (1987-88) and the New Jersey Devils (1992-93), in addition to his tenure with the Penguins.
Brooks also won three national championships in seven seasons as the coach at the University of Minnesota and represented the United States as a player in the 1964 and 1968 Olympics. He is a member of the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame and the International Ice Hockey Federation Hall of Fame.
As the Penguins' new director of player development, Brooks split his attention between the Penguins' AHL affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, and the team's draft choices not currently playing in the organization this season.
"It was mostly off-ice type consultation," Brooks said, "just to make sure they're on the right track."
