Ex-Oilers Coach Gets Surprising New Opportunity

EDMONTON — Another one bites the dust.

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The Edmonton Oilers have had their fair share of new coaches. Just over one year ago, they replaced the duo of Jay Woodcroft and Dave Manson with Kris Knoblauch and Paul Coffey.

Coaching changes can provide a spike in positive performance. That’s what the Detroit Red Wings hope will happen with their latest move.

Todd McLellan and Trent Yawnley have been named the new head coach and assistant coach. They are replacing head coach Derek Lalonde and Bob Boughner.

Oilers fans are familiar with the Red Wings’ new duo. They were brought in during Peter Chiarelli’s tenure and were largely successful, but they fell short of making it past the Western Conference Semi-Final.

McLellan’s most recent stop was with the Los Angeles Kings. He spent nearly five years with the organization, leading them to the playoffs in back-to-back years where they lost in the first round against the Oilers.

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He returns to the team, where he got his first NHL gig as an assistant. From 2005-06 to 2007-08, he was an assistant under Mike Babcock for the Red Wings.

During the summer, McLellan was interviewed for several coaching vacancies across the NHL. The Columbus Blue Jackets, Seattle Kraken, and Toronto Maple Leafs were all reported to have met with McLellan to see if a fit existed.

Ultimately, there wasn’t a fit until the Red Wings came out of the gates, hobbling like a wounded animal.

Now, McLellan will try to right the ship in Detroit and resurrect a team that lies in the Eastern Conference basement.

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