Oilers name Dave Tippett new head coach

Dave Tippett (Michael Wifall, Wikimedia Commons)

The Edmonton Oilers have named Dave Tippett of Moosomin, Saskatchewan as their new head coach. In an announcement made on Tuesday, the Oilers become the third National Hockey League Tippett has coached for in the National Hockey League. He has also coached for the Dallas Stars from 2002 to 2009 and the Phoenix/Arizona Coyotes from 2009 to 2017.

While coaching in the NHL, Tippett took the Stars to the Western Conference Finals in 2008 (before losing to the eventual Stanley Cup champion Detroit Red Wings) and the Coyotes to the Western Conference Finals in 2012 (before losing to the eventual Stanley Cup champion Los Angeles Kings). He made the playoffs on six other occasions.

However critics of Tippett’s hiring have every right to be skeptical. The Coyotes have missed the playoffs in his last five seasons coaching the Coyotes from 2013-2017. It should also be mentioned that new Oilers general manager Ken Holland of Vernon, British Columbia missed the playoffs in each of his last three seasons in Detroit. It seems that the Oilers are hoping that Holland and Tippett are able to generate the magic they developed a decade ago. In other Oilers news, the team has parted ways with skills and development coach Paul Coffey and Duane Sutter, as their head of professional scouting.

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