The Edmonton Oilers are going to need a new set of coaches before the 2019/20 season starts. They’re also under a lot of pressure to make the playoffs next season and over the last year, so many rumors of former Oilers returning to Edmonton to clean up some unfinished business have come to light.
If you listen to Oilers Now! as much as I do you’ve probably heard the host, Bob Stauffer, hint to Taylor Hall’s return to Edmonton on many occasions.
Well, I find it interesting that some of the coaches that are being connected to the Oilers have a past with Mr. Hall.
More Friedman on non-Keefe Leafs coaches:
DJ Smith will be a candidate with Edmonton
Teams given permission to speak with Jim Hiller. Speculates on Nashville looking at Hiller.
— #1 A'ja Wilson Fan (@Account4hockey) May 8, 2019
To add to that, point number three in Elliotte Friedman’s 31 Thoughts from this week’s blog contains a very interesting tidbit that I think could have implications as to a really big future move for the Edmonton Oilers.
Former Florida coach Bob Boughner is a possibility as an Edmonton assistant.
Now, if you didn’t know, Bob Boughner and DJ Smith coached Taylor Hall in Windsor (OHL) and won a couple of Memorial Cups with the former 1st overall pick in 2009 and 2010.
Friedman mentions Dave Tippett, Todd Nelson & DJ Smith as candidates in EDM; wonders if Ralph Kreuger might be a candidate in BUF. ('Oilers Now')
— Ross Creek Nasty (@akaRCN) May 10, 2019
Stay with me here because you might also be inclined to learn that Todd Nelson coached Taylor Hall in Oklahoma City during the 2012/13 season and again at the end of the 2014 campaign in Edmonton…
I’m probably a bit more of a conspiracy nut than most, but man, a lot of lines are being connected there, right?
Would the Oilers go into the 2019/20 season with Todd Nelson as head coach and Bob Boughner and DJ Smith as his assistants in an attempt to lure Taylor Hall back to Edmonton for another kick at the can?
Would the NJ Devils deal Hall to the Oilers at the draft for maybe the 8th overall pick, Jesse Puljujarvi, and Ethan Bear?
Now that we know Ken Hitchcock will not be back as Head Coach.
Allow me to suggest that I believe Todd Nelson should merit serious consideration for Oilers HC.
Bottom line, players play for him!— Bob Stauffer (@Bob_Stauffer) May 7, 2019
Imagine if the Oilers found a way to move Milan Lucic out AND bring back Taylor Hall… On the same day. Wouldn’t that be something? But are those the kind of deals Ken Holland would make? Could Holland find a way to get Hall to sacrifice some $$$ in return for success as he did so many times in Detroit with their superstars over the years?
What do you think? Let me know in the comments below!
