There's no telling what Friedman's source is on the Vellucci thing. It could be Vellucci himself. It could be Kruger. I have no idea who Friedman's friends are. There are lots of ways to get a story. It doesn't have to be through the Canes org.
Having said that, I'd be shocked if Vellucci is back as Charlotte HC, only because, as a coach, he doesn't belong there. And if he wants to be a coach, he's gonna have to move on.
As an aside, I'm convinced the most plugged-in guy in NHL circles is John Forslund. He simply knows *everybody* and everybody likes and respects him. I'm not going to get into a lot of detail, but I've been there when he let calls from a veritable who's who of NHL elites go to voicemail.
John is a great play-by-play guy, one of the best around, but if he ever decided to go into any other position in hockey, up to and including GM or media insider, he'd be so good at it. Honestly, I hope he writes a book someday, but I don't think he will.