COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Columbus Blue Jackets could be looking for a new head coach after the season, and the Columbus Dispatch placed Paul MacLean’s name on a list of potential candidates.

MacLean, an assistant under Red Wings coach Mike Babcock the past seven seasons, including two in Anaheim, thinks the time is right for him to become a head coach.

“I think I’m ready to do that, but there’s only 30 of those opportunities in the league,’’ MacLean said. “There’s a lot of people that are just like me that believe they’re qualified as well. It’s nice to be considered, and I look forward to that opportunity if it presents itself.’’

MacLean has extensive head coaching experience at the minor league level, with Kansas City and Peoria of the now-defunct International Hockey League and Quad Cities of the United Hockey League.

“I’ve been on interviews (for NHL jobs), but it hasn’t happened,’’ MacLean said. “You just got to be patient.’’

The Blue Jackets will decide shortly whether to promote interim head coach Claude Noel or search for a new permanent head coach.