ORONO – Tim Whitehead, a former University of Maine assistant who had been the head hockey coach at the University of Massachusetts-Lowell the past five years before resigning this spring, is the leading candidate to replace Gene Reilly as an assistant coach at Maine.

The 40-year-old Whitehead and Maine head coach Shawn Walsh would not comment on the potential hiring.

Walsh, who has lost considerable weight as a result of his on-going battle with kidney cancer, said he would like to have the new assistant in place within the next two weeks.

“We start on the ice Sept. 25 and I’d like to have had him here a week to 10 days before that so he can get acclimated. But the worst thing you can do is rush a search,” said Walsh, who is the chairman of a five-member search committee.

Reilly left after three seasons to become an assistant for the Grand Rapids (Mich.) Griffins of the American Hockey League.

Walsh said the pool of applicants for the Maine job is “impressive especially when you consider the timing.”

Reilly announced his resignation late last month.

Possible rationales behind Whitehead’s hiring are his head coaching experience and his work with Walsh as an assistant at Maine in the 1990-91 season.

The head coaching experience is important because of Walsh’s health. If the 18-year Bear coach has to take some time off in his battle with cancer, Whitehead could take over the head coaching role until Walsh returns.

Northeastern University coach Bruce Crowder and New Hampshire coach Dick Umile said Whitehead would be a good choice for Maine.

“He would be a great hire. I’m a real fan of Timmy’s,” said Umile. “He’s a good coach, a good guy and a real good family man. He would fit in well there with Shawn.”

Whitehead assisted Crowder at UMass-Lowell for five years before taking over the reins after Crowder moved on to Northeastern.

“If he goes to Maine, kudos for them. It would be a great move. He’s a great hockey person. He has proven himself as a head coach in Hockey East. He’s a very good teacher. He loves to coach and he has a great presence,” said Crowder who added that Whitehead has undertaken a lot of community service projects including the Special Olympics and UMass-Lowell’s Life and Skills Program.

He received UML’s University Medal for Distinguished Public Service in 1993.

Whitehead guided the River Hawks to a 76-95-12 record in his five seasons behind the bench including a 19-16-3 mark this past year.

UMass-Lowell finished fifth in Hockey East with a 10-11-3 record. He left Lowell because he was seeking a three-year contract and the school was only offering two.

The Lawrenceville, N.J., native played college hockey at Hamilton College (N.Y.) and earned a master’s degree in education from the University of Maine.

Walsh met with his players on Tuesday and the veterans said despite Reilly’s late decision to leave and defensemen Doug Janik and Eric Turgeon passing up their senior seasons, they expect to have a good season.

Janik signed with the Buffalo Sabres and Turgeon, who has already graduated, decided to pursue job offers in engineering.

“It’s better to have this happen now than during the season. We have a strong base [of players] returning,” said senior defenseman and captain Peter Metcalf.

“This is a little bump in the road. It won’t affect us too much,” said senior goalie Matt Yeats.