Other nominees include Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Mike Babcock and Columbus Blue Jackets head coach John Tortorella. These coaches have done an outstanding job transforming their respective squads.
McLellan’s resume may be impressive, but his time with the Oilers has been even more so. He has turned this team into a winning squad, one with a positive mentality and elite culture.
Not to mention, McLellan combined lines and did everything he could to work with the players he had, and turned them into a playoff-ready team. Because of his leadership, and many other aspects, the Oilers dug their way out of an 11-year playoff drought and even put up a fight for the head of the Pacific Division.