NHL: Assistant GM Chuck Fletcher is of interest to the Minnesota Wild

Sources with the Penguins have been speculating for the past week that Assistant GM Chuck Fletcher would draw considerable interest from the Minnesota Wild, due to Penguins General Manager Ray Shero working for current Wild owner Craig Leopold when Leopold was the owner of the Nashville Predators.

While there have been no talks between the Wild and Fletcher to this point, as the Wild are in the beginning stages of their hiring process, I spoke briefly to Michael Russo of the Star-Tribune today, who told me the Wild are interested Fletcher.

Plenty of names including Fletcher are already getting mentioned as potential candidates.

Russo reported last week that former Vancouver and Toronto GM Pat Quinn, former Columbus GM Doug MacLean, former Ottawa, Tampa Bay and Florida GM Rick Dudley and former Tampa Bay GM Jay Feaster have already expressed interest in the job.

The Colorado Avalanche are also in the market of hiring a new GM but NHL sources tell me,