While the Lightning await word on whether associate coach Mike Sullivan intends to return to the team, the process of finding a potential new assistant coach is already in the beginning phases.

Sullivan has been granted permission by the team to pursue a head coaching position or another assistant position that would bring him closer to his family in Massachusetts. To this point, Sullivan is not close to making any decisions on where he may land for next season. His contract is scheduled to expire on July 1.

Tampa Bay coach Rick Tocchet said on Tuesday that Sullivan is his first choice to remain on the coaching staff that also includes Wes Walz and goaltending coach Cap Raeder. But Tocchet said the team must move forward and be proactive in pursing a candidate to fill that position.

No interviews have been conducted and no contact has been made to this point as Tocchet said he is just beginning to put together a list of potential candidates to join the coaching staff. Tocchet said that after a search gets underway, if Sullivan decides he wants to return to Tampa, Tocchet will evaluate where each of the candidates stand up against Sullivan and make a decision accordingly.

Sullivan, a former head coach with the Boston Bruins, was hired by former coach John Tortorella before the 2007-08 season and served one year under Tortorella, who was fired by the Lightning last May. Sullivan was relieved of his duties when Barry Melrose was hired, but returned to the team in December after Melrose was fired an replaced on an interim basis by Tocchet.

If Sullivan does not land a head coaching position and does not return to the Lightning, he could wind up rejoining Tortorella who was hired to coach the New York Rangers in March. Tortorella said when he was hired by the Rangers that he wanted Sullivan to join his staff, but when that didn’t happen, Jim Schoenfeld held the assistant coaching position on an interim basis until the end of the season.