WHL Coaching Rumours

As the Oil Kings and Portland Winterhawks were getting set to do battle in game 2 of the Ed Chynoweth Cup as WHL champions, the rumour mill was ramping up with some possible coaching moves.

Jim Hiller

Talking to a number of scouts and insiders it sounds like Tri City could be in the market for a new bench boss.  TPS was told that Jim Hiller is a candidate to take over the Dallas Stars AHL franchise the Texas Stars.

Oil Kings head coach Derek Laxdal has also been mentioned for that position, but TPS was tipped off tonight that Laxdal has good connections with New York Islanders head coach Jack Capuano and could easily step in as as assistant on Long Island.

If either happen you can bet that Edmonton assistant coach Steve Hamilton will be a popular guy to replace either Laxdal in Edmonton or Hiller in Tri City.

One other tidbit that was sent our way and surprises us a bit, is that Don Hay could join Ken Hitchcock's staff in St. Louis.  Hay has a great situation in Vancouver so it would have to be a dynamite offer to get him to move, because he turned down a similar offer from the Oilers 2 years ago.

We reported earlier this season that Cory Clouston was on the hot seat in Brandon.  Did winning a round buy him another year or will G.M/Owner Kelly McCrimmon take over behind the bench or hire another replacement?

Could the Kootenay Ice be looking for another head coach?  Kris Knoblauch has done a bang up job taking them to the Memorial Cup last year, but the job at his old school is open right now and some think he might end up behind the bench with the U of A Golden Bears next season.