That Was Quick....

From www.tsn.ca

TSN has learned that the San Jose Sharks will name Red Wings' assistant Todd McLellan as the team's new head coach at a press conference Thursday.

McLellan will replace the recently fired Ron Wilson who has landed on his feet in Toronto after signing a four-year contract on Tuesday.

"It's a very good feeling," McLellan said in a statement.

"From the first moment Doug called to the moment he offered the job, I felt comfortable. I think the Sharks have done a tremendous job. You don't get that close to 50 wins for a number of years in a row without a lot of talent. It's a matter of getting over the hump. There are some real parallels between the Wings and the Sharks."

The press conference to announce the signing will occur at 11 am Pacific at the HP Pavillion in San Jose.

"Todd McLellan has an excellent track record and has had success at every level of coaching in his career," Doug Wilson told the Canadian Press.

"He comes from one of the top organizations in all of sports and has been exposed to some of the brightest hockey minds in the game including Jim Devellano, Ken Holland, Scotty Bowman, Steve Yzerman and Mike Babcock, along with Jacques Lemaire, to name just a few. We feel that Todd is an excellent fit for our hockey team."

The Melville, Saskatchewan native just completed his third season as a Red Wings' assistant helping lead the team to the 11th Stanley Cup title in franchise history.

McLellan's main responsibility with the Wings has been the power play unit that fired at a 20.1% over the past three years.

The Detroit Free Press reported that McLellan cancelled a meeting set later in the week in Atlanta to discuss the Thrashers head coaching position.

Prior to joining the Red Wings, McLellan spent four seasons as head coach of the American Hockey League's Houston Aeros, leading the team to the 2003 Calder Cup championship.

Following the season he was named Minor Pro Coach of the Year by the Hockey News.

McLellan was selected in the 5th round of the 1986 NHL Entry draft by the New York Islanders. In give career games in the NHL, McLellan scored once and picked up one assist. He has also coached the Cleveland Lumberjacks of the International Hockey League and the Swift Current Broncos in the Western Hockey League. He also captured the WHL coach of the year award in 200 and Executive of the Year in 1997 while serving both as Broncos head coach and GM.


No doubt something was in the works when I talked to him earlier this week. Our interview is posted below. Congratulations Todd.


Jon