The Florida Panthers' exhaustive search for their next head coach continues to inch closer to its conclusion.

General manager Dale Tallon's final six have been cut in half, and a decision between the trio of remaining hopefuls is expected to be announced before the week's end, per TSN's Bob McKenzie.

Last week, Tallon confirmed that Dan Bylsma, Marc Crawford, Gerard Gallant, Bill Peters, Tom Renney and Ron Wilson were his six finalists, but there is no indication on which candidates have been nixed.

Whoever emerges will be taking over a 29-45-8 club that finished second-to-last in the NHL's Eastern Conference.