Jay Woodcroft (Sergei Belski-Imagn Images)EDMONTON – Good coaches can be hard to find.
Or at least in the NHL, teams can make it seem that way.
The Edmonton Oilers bucked the trend when they brought in Kris Knoblauch. The majority of teams rely on coaches who have been around a time (or two) to fill their vacancies. Knoblauch was an AHL head coach at the time of his promotion to the City of Champions.
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However, the man who preceded him hasn’t been lucky in landing a new coaching job. Jay Woodcroft has focused on learning and bettering himself as a coach since his departure from the Oilers organization in November 2023.
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He’s been in talks with several teams that have been searching for a new coach. The Anaheim Ducks, Seattle Kraken, New Jersey Devils, and Toronto Maple Leafs have all spoken to him since his dismissal.
Now, another team can be added to the list.
Jimmy Murphy, who broke the story of Joel Quenneville being offered the Ducks coaching job before he accepted it, has a new report about Woodcroft. Marco Sturm and Jay Leach are being considered for the Boston Bruins coaching vacancy. Earlier on Tuesday, he reported that Woodcroft’s name can be added to the list.
He also reported that Woodcroft is considered “the frontrunner.”
A Brief History Of Jay Woodcroft As A Coach
Woodcroft has a long and successful resume that would make any organization covet his services. He spent three years as a video coach for the Detroit Red Wings under Mike Babcock. He was promoted to Assistant Coach under Todd McLellan while with the San Jose Sharks.
He followed McLellan around for 10 seasons before accepting a position as head coach of the Oilers’ AHL affiliate, the Bakersfield Condors. Woodcroft spent almost three years there before taking over from Dave Tippett in 2021-22.
While there hasn’t been any official word from the Bruins organization, Murphy was shown to be a credible source with his Quennville report. Additionally, Kevin Weekes has reported the same information.
Either way, this will be a story to follow closely in the coming days and weeks.
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