Detroit’s coaching shuffle may soon be complete.
Since the naming of Jeff Blashill as head coach of the Detroit Red Wings, the club’s AHL affiliate Grand Rapids Griffins has been on the hunt to fill the vacancy.
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According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, former interim Edmonton Oilers coach Todd Nelson could be their man.
Nelson, 46, took over the Oilers bench in December after Dallas Eakins was fired, but his future was left up in the air upon the Oilers’ hiring of Todd McLellan in May. While the Oilers reportedly wanted to keep him in the organization in what would likely be an assistant capacity, he was told he could look elsewhere.
Nelson is not a stranger to Grand Rapids, serving as an assistant coach with the team in 2002-03.
He also has plenty of experience at the AHL level, having spent four years as the bench boss for the Oilers’ affiliate Oklahoma City Barons before his promotion in December.
The Oilers held a record of 17-25-9 under Nelson to finish the 2014-15 season.
