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General Manager Jason Botterill reportedly focused his coaching research on former Edmonton Oilers and San Jose Sharks coach Todd McLellan.
Bob McKenzie, of TSN, reported Monday afternoon that McLellan had not yet started contract negotiations with the Sabers, but that he was one of the main candidates to become the 19th coach from the history of the franchise. These talks are expected to begin this week, when McLellan's son, Tyson, will be competing with the Denver University hockey team in the Frozen Four at KeyBank Center.
Eric Duhatschek, a Hall of Fame columnist who now works for The Athletic, was the first to point out the Sabers' interest in McLellan, but he initially stated that the two sides were close to an agreement . According to Dennis Bernstein of The Fourth Period, McLellan has already received a five-year contract with the Los Angeles Kings.
A source told The Buffalo News that the Sabers had contacted Joel Quenneville, triple Stanley Cup coach, but that Quenneville was already on the verge of accepting an offer from the Florida Panthers. He was introduced as the team coach at a press conference Monday.
This would indicate that Botterill is looking for an experienced coach to replace Phil Housley, who has missed the playoffs in each of his two seasons as a Sabers coach and finished with a 58-84-22 record. Housley was considered one of the best assistant coaches of the sport after helping the Nashville Predators reach the Stanley Cup final, but Botterill acknowledged Sunday that it could be difficult to learn on the job.
McLellan, 51, was sacked by the Oilers in November after a playoff appearance in more than three seasons as a coach, finishing with a record of 123-119-24. He led the Sharks to the Stanley Cup Playoffs in six of his seven seasons on the team, including two consecutive appearances in the Western Conference finals.
McLellan led the Sharks to their first presidents' trophy in their first season in 2008-09. He ended his Sharks coaching assignment in 2014.
The Oilers finished with the league's second worst performance in McLellan's first season in Edmonton in 2015-16, reaching the semifinals of the conference the following year. It was the first time since 1990 that the Oilers had the advantage of being at home and had made their first playoff appearance in 11 years. He was fired in November after a 9-10-1 start and the team missed the 12-point playoff with Ken Hitchcock as coach.
His coaching career began seven seasons in the junior, including six with the Swift Current Broncos of the Western Hockey League. McLellan spent one season with the Lumberjacks of the International Hockey League and four with the Houston Eros of the American Hockey League before being hired as an assistant by Detroit coach Mike Babcock in 2005.
McLellan won a Stanley Cup with the Red Wings in 2008 and was hired as a Sharks coach this summer.
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