Report: Ex-Avs winger Brad Larsen a candidate for head coaching job

Add another name to the list of candidates for the current Colorado Avalanche head coaching vacancy.

Brad Larsen, who currently serves as an assistant to John Tortorella with the Columbus Blue Jackets, has entered the mix for the position, according to Terry Frei of the Denver Post.

Larsen joins two AHL head coaches - Jared Bednar of the Cleveland Monsters (Columbus) and Travis Green of the Utica Comets (Vancouver Canucks) - as well as New York Rangers associate coach Scott Arniel and Washington Capitals assistant Lane Lambert as those being considered for the post by Colorado general manager Joe Sakic.

The various ties to the Blue Jackets - which includes Arniel - make sense, considering Colorado's assistant GM, Chris MacFarland, came to the club by way of Columbus.

Larsen, however, also has a personal connection with the Avalanche, having been drafted by the team in 1997 and appearing in 92 games over five years during Sakic's days as a player. He previously served as head coach of the AHL's Springfield Falcons, leading the team to a pair of division championships before bring promoted to an assistant at the NHL level.