John Anderson says his lack of NHL coaching experience shouldn't keep him from becoming the Thrashers' next coach.

The issue came up again last week when Anderson, coach of the Thrashers' top minor-league affiliate, interviewed with Thrashers general manager Don Waddell, assistant general manager Larry Simmons and, via speaker phone, Thrashers co-owner Bruce Levenson.

Anderson told them he has proven his coaching ability while going head to head with many of the men now working in the NHL.

Mike Babcock, coach of this year's Stanley Cup champion Detroit Red Wings, went straight from losing to Anderson in the American Hockey League's Calder Cup playoffs to coaching the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim.

Randy Carlyle went from losing to Anderson in the 2005 Calder Cup playoffs to coaching the Ducks, too.

John Stevens' final AHL playoff series was a victory over Anderson's Chicago Wolves in the 2005 Calder Cup finals. One year later, Stevens, too, was working behind an NHL bench.

"I've coached against about 10 of the coaches in the National Hockey League right now," Anderson said Monday. "All these guys, I've coached against every one of them."

Anderson won against them, too. This year's AHL championship was his fourth minor-league title in 13 seasons.

The Washington Capitals hired a successful minor-league coach a year ago and were rewarded when Bruce Boudreau, a close friend of Anderson's, became the NHL's coach of the year. That brought more attention to Anderson as a potential NHL coach.

Anderson, 51, is no stranger to the NHL. He played in it for 12 seasons. One of his competitors for the Thrashers job, Thrashers associate coach Brad McCrimmon, also was a successful NHL player. Waddell has said he would interview Anderson, McCrimmon and one or two others and that he hoped to hire a coach before he leaves Wednesday for an NHL meeting in advance of the draft in Ottawa.

Tampa Bay Lightning assistant Mike Sullivan said he also would speak with Waddell.

"Whatever happens, happens," Anderson said. "I left [the interview] feeling good about myself."

He coaches multiple systems with one common emphasis: Offense.

"I like my teams to score goals. We've been in the top three in scoring almost every year," he said, adding that not only wins games but pleases fans. "Very seldom do you see people stand up and clap for a poke check," he said.