Report: Chiarelli, Hextall among 20 seeking Penguins' GM job

The Pittsburgh Penguins' search for a new general manager has begun with no shortage of names eyeing the job.

Twenty candidates contacted the club to express interest in the position as of Thursday afternoon, TSN's Pierre LeBrun reported on the latest edition of "Insider Trading."

Jason Botterill, Chris Drury, Ron Hextall, Mark Hunter, Tom Fitzgerald, Peter Chiarelli, Scott Mellanby, Mike Gillis, Laurence Gilman, John Ferguson Jr., and Mike Futa are all on the Penguins' radar, according to LeBrun.

Patrik Allvin, the Penguins' interim general manager, will reportedly get the first interview. Pittsburgh promoted him to the role when longtime GM Jim Rutherford resigned Wednesday for personal reasons.

Pittsburgh is aiming to have a new GM in place within two-to-three weeks, LeBrun added.

Fitzgerald is the current general manager of the New Jersey Devils. Chiarelli formerly held the same role with the Boston Bruins and Edmonton Oilers, while Hextall served as GM of the Philadelphia Flyers from 2014-18. Hextall is currently a hockey operations advisor for the Los Angeles Kings and served as their assistant GM from 2006-13.

Chiarelli and Hextall reportedly interviewed for the Minnesota Wild's GM vacancy in 2019 before the team hired Bill Guerin.

Rutherford began his tenure as Penguins GM in 2014, helping the team win the Stanley Cup in 2016 and 2017. He previously spent 20 years with the Carolina Hurricanes/Hartford Whalers franchise, overseeing the Hurricanes' title run in 2006.