Another Edmonton Oilers head coach candidate has been revealed
Mike Babcock is the clubhouse leader to become the next Edmonton Oilers head coach, but another potential candidate has been revealed.
While the team seems locked in on Babcock, an NHL investigation is currently getting in the way of the Oilers hiring the veteran coach. If the league determines that Babcock is not eligible to step behind an NHL bench, Edmonton will need to look elsewhere for its next head coach, but who could that be?
The Oilers have already been heavily linked to Bruce CassidyĀ but have not been able to gain permission from the Vegas Golden Knights to interview him.Ā Craig Berube’s name was linked to the Oilers last month, and we now know another coach who has sat down with Edmonton.
NHL insider Elliotte Friedman revealed on Wednesday’s edition of the 32 Thoughts podcast that the Oilers have interviewed ex-LA Kings head coach Jim Hiller.
“They interviewed Berube, and they interviewed Laviolette,” Friedman said. “I heard Laviolette was there last week and interviewed very well, I heard.
“I think they interviewed Jim Hiller.”
Laviolette seemed to be another top target for the Oilers, but he came off the board after being hired by the Kings earlier this week.
Hiller is a very interesting name for Edmonton, and he may not be a popular one among the Oilers faithful. Many fans will remember him as being behind the Kings’ bench during last year’s first-round series against the Oilers.
His most memorable moment in that series was an ill-advised goalie interference challenge in Game 3. The Kings had a 2-0 series lead heading into that game and had an excellent chance to take a 3-0 stranglehold.
Evander Kane tied the game for the Oilers after some chaos in front of the net. Hiller challenged the goal, was unsuccessful, and Edmonton took the lead on the ensuing power play.
That turned the series on its head and kick-started an Oilers comeback that saw LA eliminated in six games.
Hiller was fired midway through last season after an underperforming LA squad was struggling to keep pace in the playoff race. Associate coach D.J. Smith took over as interim head coach before Laviolette was hired on a permanent basis.
It’s not often you see an NHL head coach make such a blatant error mid-game that it costs his team a playoff loss, but the Oilers had front-row seats to watch Hiller do just that last season.
Even if Babcock is hired as the next Oilers head coach, Hiller could still be an option to join him in Edmonton as an assistant coach. Similar to Smith, he also worked alongside Babcock while with the Maple Leafs.
Hiller doesn’t seem likely to snag the Oilers’ head coaching job from Babcock, but there is still a possibility he finds his way to the Alberta capital.