Edmonton Oilers Name Dallas Eakins Head Coach
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Len Redkoles/NHLI via Getty Images (EDMONTON, Alberta) — The Edmonton Oilers have hired Dallas Eakins to be their new head coach.
The 46-year-old Eakins replaces Ralph Krueger, who was fired at the end of the season.
“This isn’t about winning one game or winning one season,” Eakins said. “We want to be in the mix every year to win.”
Eakins has his work cut out for him, as the Oilers have not made the playoffs since reaching the Stanley Cup finals in 2006. He is their fourth head coach in the past five seasons.
The Oilers are a young team with former No. 1 picks Taylor Hall, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and Nail Yakupov making up the team’s nucleus. Throw in veterans Jordan Eberle and Justin Schulz and Eakins may have inherited a team that is ready to take the next step towards competiting for a Stanley Cup Trophy.
Eakins spent the past four seasons with the AHL’s Toronto Marlies, reaching the Calder Cup final in 2012.
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