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REPORT: Nichol Has Interviewed for Sharks GM, There’s International Candidate?

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Credit: AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh

The San Jose Sharks might be down to three to five finalists for general manager, but there are still new names being added to the pool of candidates.

Elliotte Friedman and Jeff Marek discussed candidates far and wide as Europe in their 32 Thoughts Podcast yesterday.

“I heard there was an international candidate,” Friedman said.

But let’s start close to home first.

“I think Scott Nichol, who’s now based in Nashville, was also another interviewee,” Friedman shared. It’s not clear if Nichol is a finalist. There have been no reports as to who the three to five finalists are.

Nichol is AGM and Director of Player Development for the Nashville Predators. He played for the San Jose Sharks from 2009-11.

Nichol joins a list of reported candidates who have interviewed for the GM role like Jason Botterill, John Ferguson Jr., Mike Grier, Ryan Martin, Allain Roy, and Ray Whitney. There’s also a larger list of suspected candidates:

Profiling 12 Possible Sharks GM Candidates

Looking overseas, Friedman suggested that the Sharks might have talked to SC Bern chief sports officer Raeto Raffainer about the job. Raffainer enjoyed a 14-year playing career in the National League and was also GM of the 2018 Swiss Olympic men’s ice hockey side.

Raffainer, however, told San Jose Hockey Now that he’s never interviewed for the San Jose Sharks GM position.

Marek guessed on another “overseas” candidate, Rogle BK GM Chris Abbott. The Sarnia native played at Cornell and in the SHL, and has been GM of Rogle since 2017.

Chris Abbott’s twin brother Cam Abbott has also been at his side since 2017, coaching Rogle.

Staying in Sweden, Friedman speculated on “The Jeff Marek Show” today that Johan Garpenlov could also be in the San Jose Sharks GM picture. Garpenlov, of course, is best known to Sharks fans for skating in teal from 1991-95, but most recently, he was the Head Coach of the 2022 Swedish Olympic men’s ice hockey team. He was also a Dallas Stars scout from 2008-10.

San Jose Sharks president Jonathan Becher has said that he, interim GM Joe Will, and owner Hasso Plattner hope to announce a new GM by the beginning of free agency on Jul. 13. We’ll see – Becher has also said it’s about the right person, not the right timing.

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