San Jose Sharks Name Todd McLELLAN Head Coach
Published on June 13, 2008 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Worcester Sharks News Release
SAN JOSE -- San Jose Sharks Executive Vice President and General Manager Doug Wilson announced today that Todd McLellan has been named as the new head coach of the San Jose Sharks. In keeping with club policy, terms of the contract were not disclosed.
"Todd McLellan has an excellent track record and has had success at every level of coaching in his career," said Wilson. "He comes from one of the top organizations in all of sports and has been exposed to some of the brightest hockey minds in the game including Jim Devallano, Ken Holland, Scotty Bowman, Steve Yzerman and Mike Babcock, along with Jacques Lemaire, to name just a few. We feel that Todd is an excellent fit for our hockey team now and in the future."
Most recently, McLellan, 40, captured the 2008 Stanley Cup in his third season as an assistant coach under Mike Babcock with the Detroit Red Wings. Over the course of those three seasons, the Red Wings won the President's Trophy as the NHL's top regular season team twice (2007-08 and 2005-06) and finished second in 2006-07, tying the Buffalo Sabres for first in points (113) but having three fewer wins. The team advanced to the Western Conference Finals in 2006-07 before falling in six games to the eventual Stanley Cup Champion Anaheim Ducks.
Also during that span, no NHL team has won more games (162) or earned more standings points (352) than Detroit. San Jose is third in points (314) and tied for third in wins (144) during that same span.
One of McLellan's key responsibilities was working with the Red Wings power play, which finished third in the NHL in 2007-08 (20.7%) and first in 2005-06 (22.1%).
"It's a very good feeling," said McLellan. "From the first moment Doug called to the moment he offered the job, I felt comfortable. I think the Sharks have done a tremendous job. You don't get that close to 50 wins for a number of years in a row without a lot of talent. It's a matter of getter over the hump. There are some real parallels between the Wings and the Sharks."
Prior to being hired in Detroit, McLellan spent four seasons as Head Coach of the Houston Aeros in the American Hockey League, including capturing the 2003 AHL Calder Cup Championship. He also was selected to coach two AHL All-Star Games in his tenure with Houston. Under his guidance, McLellan led the Aeros to a 154-111-37-18 mark (.567 winning percentage).
In 2000-01, he served as the head coach of the Cleveland Lumberjacks of the International Hockey League, posting a 43-32-7 record.
From 1994-95 thru 1999-00, McLellan coached the Swift Current Broncos of the Western Hockey League, where he also served as General Manager in his final four WHL seasons. He was named WHL Coach of the Year in 2000 and WHL Executive of the Year in 1997.
In his 14 years of serving as a head and assistant coach, McLellan's teams have never missed the postseason.
McLellan, a native of Melville, Saskatchewan, played his junior hockey with Saskatoon (WHL) and was drafted by the New York Islanders in the fifth round (106th overall) in the 1986 NHL Entry Draft. He played parts of two seasons with Springfield in the American Hockey League and played in five games with the Islanders in 1987-88, posting two points (one goal, one assist) before a shoulder injury ended his career.
HEAD COACHING RECORD OF TODD McLELLAN
PLAYOFFS
Season Team LGE W L T OTL W% P% W L W%
1994-95 Swift Current WHL 31 34 7 -- .430 .479 2 4 .333
1995-96 Swift Current WHL 36 31 5 -- .500 .534 2 4 .333
1996-97 Swift Current WHL 44 23 5 -- .611 .645 6 4 .600
1997-98 Swift Current WHL 44 19 9 -- .611 .673 7 5 .583
1998-99 Swift Current WHL 34 32 6 -- .472 .513 2 4 .333
1999-00 Swift Current WHL 47 18 4 3 .652 .701 6 6 .500
2000-01 Cleveland IHL 43 32 0 7 .524 .567 0 4 .000
2001-02 Houston AHL 39 26 10 5 .487 .581 8 6 .571
2002-03 Houston AHL 47 23 7 3 .587 .650 15 8 .652*
2003-04 Houston AHL 28 34 14 4 .350 .462 0 2 .000
2004-05 Houston AHL 40 28 6 6 .500 .575 1 4 .200
AHL TOTALS
* = won AHL Championship
*********************************************************************************
ASSISTANT COACHING RECORD OF TODD McLELLAN (under Mike Babcock)
PLAYOFFS
Season Team LGE W L T OTL W% P% W L W%
2005-06 Detroit NHL 58 16 0 8 .707 .756 2 4 .333
2006-07 Detroit NHL 50 19 0 13 .609 .689 10 8 .555
2007-08 Detroit NHL 54 21 0 7 .658 .701 16 6 .727*
* = won Stanley Cup
**********************************************************************************
PLAYING CAREER OF TODD McLELLAN - Center
BORN: October 3, 1967 in Melville, Saskatchewan
PLAYOFFS
Season Team LGE GP G A PTS PIM GP G A PTS PIM
1983-84 Saskatoon WHL 50 8 14 22 15 -- -- -- -- --
1984-85 Saskatoon WHL 41 15 35 50 33 3 1 0 1 0
1985-86 Saskatoon WHL 27 9 10 19 13 13 9 3 12 8
1986-87 Saskatoon WHL 60 34 39 73 66 6 1 1 2 2
1987-88 NY Islanders NHL 5 1 1 2 0 -- -- -- -- --
Springfield AHL 70 18 26 44 32 -- -- -- -- --
1988-89 Springfield AHL 37 7 19 26 17 -- -- -- -- --
NHL TOTALS 5 1 1 2 0 -- -- -- -- --
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