Sources tell TSN the Tampa Bay Lightning are close to signing head coach Rick Tocchet to a three-year contract extension.
Tabbed interim head coach since taking over for the fired Barry Melrose on November 14, this would mark Tocchet's first full-time head coaching job.
A 24-year NHL veteran both as a player and a coach, Tocchet played 18 seasons with Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Los Angeles, Boston, Washington and Phoenix. During his career he amassed 1,144 career games and recorded 440 goals, 952 points and 2,972 penalty minutes.
The Scarborough, Ontario native won the Stanley Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1992 and appeared in the Stanley Cup Finals with Philadelphia in 1987.