It didn’t take long for Todd McLellan to find work after leaving the San Jose Sharks. He took a short time out to lead Team Canada to the gold medal at the World Hockey Championships, and now McLellan has been hired by the Edmonton Oilers as their new head coach. Sportsnet is reporting that the details are done, and the signing will be official sometime this week.
McLellan, 47, became head coach of the San Jose Sharks in 2008, soon after winning a Stanley Cup as assistant coach of the Detroit Red Wings under Mike Babcock. McLellan had spent some time as the head coach of the Cleveland Lumberjacks and Houston Aeros. Under the Sharks, McLellan posted a 311-163-66 record with two conference finals appearances, a President’s trophy and was nominated for the Jack Adams trophy for coach of the year in 2008-09. When he mutually parted ways with the Sharks on April 20 of this year, he ended his tenure as the winningest and longest tenured coach in San Jose history.
McLellan already started building a rapport with some of the top stars of the Edmonton Oilers at the IIHF World Championship in Prague. Oilers forwards Taylor Hall and Jordan Eberle sang their praises of McLellan. “In a short term event like this, sometimes the coaches can be a little light hearted, but so far McLellan has been on track and on the ball every step of the way, “ said Eberle. Hall said it was a definite possibility that McLellan could be his new head coach.
According to the Edmonton Sun, McLellan interviewed for the Oilers head coaching position back on Friday, May 8. The San Jose Sharks also gave permission for McLellan to speak to the Toronto Maple Leafs. It was believed by Elliott Friedman that while the Oilers were interested in the services of Detroit Red Wings head coach Mike Babcock, they didn’t want to find themselves empty handed on both McLellan and Babcock and would make a decision on the man available.
The hiring is the first move by new Oilers general manager Peter Chiarelli, who will be expected to draft Erie Otters superstar Connor McDavid at the 2015 NHL Entry Draft.
