The NHL’s coaching carousel has been spinning more than usual this season, and for a couple of coaches who were relieved of their duties, their time back on the ride may present themselves again sooner than later.
Joel Quenneville, who was fired by the Chicago Blackhawks on Nov. 6, and Todd McLellan, who got the axe from the Edmonton Oilers earlier this week are names with interest around the league, says Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos.
“Some NHL teams are inquiring about Joel Quenneville and Todd McLellan,” Kypreos said during the Headlines segment of Hockey Night in Canada Saturday. “I do know that you need permission to talk to these guys from their respective clubs – Chicago and Edmonton – but you can gauge interest indirectly through a third-party, and we believe that’s what’s happened with both of these guys in some capacity.”
Expanding on this, Kypreos also says Quenneville could’ve taken the reigns in Edmonton instead of Ken Hitchcock and that Los Angeles Kings interim coach Willie Desjardins’ immediate future at the helm shouldn’t be guaranteed with top-tier candidates like McLelland and Quenneville possibly available.
“Prior to Hitchcock being named in Edmonton we believe that there might have been some discussions in Edmonton for Quenneville,” Kypreos said. “And starting to hear some talk for Todd McLellan with the L.A. Kings. Of course, they’ve got Willie Desjardins as an interim coach, but no promises there. At any given time I think, if L.A. feels like they’ve got the right guy they’ll make the change as early as tomorrow.”
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