Ken Hitchcock has taken over behind the Edmonton Oilers bench following the firing of former coach Todd McLellan. Since the hiring, the Oilers had one win and one loss, both of which went to OT.
That’s about as even a two-game debut you could have, but there is still generally a little excitement around the city and organization.
This is because Hitchcock has a proven track record and ample experience, not to mention that the Oil just needed a shakeup in general (although not in the way some of their fans would have preferred). Hitchcock didn’t take long to make his mark, and he made sure that former 4th overall draft pick Jesse Puljujarvi’s talent wasn’t going to waste away in the AHL.
There’s a certain kind of respect that established coaches command, and he wanted his shot at developing Puljujarvi. Utilizing assets properly is part of what makes a coach great, so we’ll see what Hitch does with the young forward.
You can bet Oilers fans are excited.
(H/T Jack Michaels)
