Wisconsin assistant coach Kevin Patrick confirmed today that he has applied for the head coaching positions at Alaska of the CCHA and Green Bay of the USHL.

Patrick was a finalist for the Alaska job last year, and I had people tell me he was at one point considered a favorite. But the job went to former St. Cloud State and Nebraska-Omaha assistant Doc Delcastillo.

Delcastillo, however, resigned earlier this month after less than a full year on the job. He said he was leaving to pursue "other opportunities."

The Gamblers, meanwhile, are looking for a full-time replacement for Mark Mazzoleni, who was fired in February. Patrick spent one season as an assistant to current UW assistant Mark Osiecki with the Gamblers in 1997-98.

In a phone interview Monday, Gamblers president Brendan Bruss strongly refuted a report that the team had hired Jon Cooper, the coach of the NAHL's St. Louis Bandits.

Stay tuned on this one.