As of late yesterday afternoon, Sinden said he had not talked to any of the candidates. "I've had an indirect contact with one," is all the general manager would say. Courtesy would require that he talk with Calgary GM Cliff Fletcher before contacting Crisp.
"I haven't talked with Harry," Fletcher said last night, "but he knows that I'd never stand in the way of Crisp or anyone going to any NHL team. I'd never block a career advancement."
Fletcher is convinced that Crisp is a potential NHL coach. "If he wasn't, I wouldn't have hired him for Moncton," Fletcher said. "Terry has played under good coaches, Scotty Bowman and Fred Shero. He's a disciplinarian, a motivator, a communicator. And an old-fashioned, up-and-down-your-wing coach. I have no idea what the Bruins' interest in Crisp may be, but I wouldn't stand in his way."
Sinden has been pleased with the work Crisp has done with the Bruins' young players at Moncton. "We've been very happy with him," Sinden said.
After playing on the Flyers' Stanley Cup winning teams, Crisp served as an assistant coach under both Fred Shero and Bob McCammon. His first head coaching job was with the Sault St. Marie Greyhounds of the Ontario Junior League, and he took that team from the bottom of the standings to the top.
Sinden has selected current TV analyst Terry O'Reilly, a former player, and assistant coach Mike Milbury to take over the team on an interim basis. The Bruins play tomorrow night in Quebec and Wednesday in Pittsburgh. Sinden said he hoped to have a permanent replacement by Wednesday's game.
Hours after the Bruins dismissed Goring, Buffalo's Scotty Bowman announced that he was stepping down as coach of the Sabres in order to devote his full attention to his general manager's duties.
