Thunder checks out Bourne

There are rumblings on the Las Vegas Thunder coaching front.

General manager Bob Strumm has executed his first official interview for the team's head coaching vacancy and might know as soon as next week who will replace the recently departed Clint Malarchuk.

Strumm met with former Thunder assistant Bob Bourne last Friday about becoming the team's fifth head coach. Bourne served behind the Thunder bench with Butch Goring for the team's inaugural campaign of 1993-94.

Bourne also coached under Goring with the Utah Grizzlies last season. The two were teammates when the New York Islanders won four straight Stanley Cups in 1980-83.

"Bourney, the fact that he's been here before and worked in Utah, he's a winner as a person and a coach," Strumm said. "He's an attractive guy for us."

Bourne still is under contract with Utah. Strumm received permission from the Grizzlies before talking with him.

Strumm noted Bourne has other options as well. One prominent possibility is to follow Goring as head coach of the Grizzlies. Goring has interviewed with the Florida Panthers.

But another replacement for Goring could be Chris McSorley, who resigned from the Thunder in March. McSorley is a close friend of Grizzlies president Tim Mouser.

"By the first part of next week, we'll know where we sit with Bourne and in general," Strumm said. "If we don't have anything concrete by Monday or Tuesday, then we'll wait until we go into the draft (on June 27), open it up and talk to some more people."

Strumm already has a short list of candidates other than Bourne.

On that list: Guy Charron, a former Calgary Flames assistant who has worked with the Canadian National team; Steve Martinson, head coach of San Diego of the West Coast Hockey League; Chris Nylon, head coach of Chesapeake of the East Coast Hockey League; and John Perpich, an assistant of Fredericton of the American Hockey League who has assisted the Los Angeles Kings and Washington Capitals.

Former Chicago Blackhawks assistant Newell Brown also is being considered, but he reportedly is the frontrunner for the Grand Rapids opening.

"I think they've all had experience from the National League on down as either players or coaches or both," Strumm said of his candidates. "The IHL is a tough level to coach at, and you need the type of exposure these guys have had to be successful.

"We'll see where the dust settles."

Strumm won't rule out the addition of more names as the draft approaches.

He also stated his intentions to bring back assistant Rod Buskas. The former Thunder defenseman was brought aboard to help Malarchuk.

"Rod did a great job," Strumm said. "We'd like to keep him as part of the package. Of course, your head guy has tp have some input in it, but I'd like to retain Rod if it's possible."

Quinney schnitzel

Ken Quinney, the Thunder's all-time leading goal scorer, has agreed to terms on a one-year contract with Frankfurt, Germany. The 33-year-old left wing announced immediately after the season ended he would leave Las Vegas to play in Europe.

The pending deal means Patrice Lefebvre is the last player remaining from the Thunder's first season.

Thunder part-owner Ken Stickney claimed his team lost Quinney's services not due to lack of trying.

"We offered Ken a three-year contract at significant money: a quarter of a million dollars," Stickney said.

Quinney paced Las Vegas with 34 goals this season. He recorded 189 in his Thunder career.

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