McLellan to be named coach of Oilers: report

Tuesday, 05.19.2015 / 12:10 PM NHL.com

Todd McLellan will be named coach of the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday, according to multiple reports.

The Oilers announced general manager Peter Chiarelli will hold a press conference at 4 p.m. ET. The Edmonton Sun, Sportsnet and TSN are reporting McLellan will be introduced then.

McLellan left the San Jose Sharks after coaching them for the past seven seasons. He had been in Prague coaching Canada to the gold medal in the IIHF World Championship, which ended Sunday.

McLellan, 46, and the Sharks mutually parted on April 20. He was 311-163-66, coached San Jose into the Stanley Cup Playoffs in his first six seasons and reached the Western Conference Final in 2010 and 2011.

The Sharks finished this season with 89 points, 10 behind the Winnipeg Jets for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the West.

Oilers forward Taylor Hall played for Canada at the IIHF tournament.

"A lot of people have been speculating that and I've heard there's a good chance it's going to happen," Hall told the Edmonton Journal on Sunday. "If he's the coach, it's going to be a lot of fun to play with him. He's a tremendous coach. He makes people around him better."

The Oilers were 24-44-14 this season; they were coached by Dallas Eakins, who was fired Dec. 15, and Todd Nelson.

Chiarelli was hired as general manager on April 24. The Oilers won the NHL Draft Lottery and have the No. 1 pick on June 26, when it is expected they will select Erie Otters forward Connor McDavid.

Back to top