Edmonton Oilers appoint Todd McLellan

The Edmonton Oilers named Todd McLellan as their 14th head coach in franchise history on Tuesday.

Without a post-season appearance since the 2005-06 NHL season, the luckless Oilers have put their future in McLellan's hands - with the 47-year-old fresh off leading Canada to the Ice Hockey World Championship title.

"He [McLellan] is a high-energy person and a high-level thinker who will work well and demand the most from our group," Oilers president of hockey operations and general manager Peter Chiarelli said.

"Todd has had success at many levels and we are looking forward to him leading our team next season."

The former San Jose Sharks coach, who mutually parted ways with the California outfit in April following the team's first missed post-season since 2003, replaces interim coach Todd Nelson.

The Oilers had sacked Dallas Eakins in December, after a run of 15 losses in 16 matches.

McLellan said working with some Oilers players in the Canadian set-up gave him an indication of what the team will be like.

"Having spent time with Taylor Hall and Jordan Eberle over the past two weeks, two great men who have a skill set and hockey sense any hockey club would love to have," McLellan said.

"I look forward to meeting the group and working with them going forward."

McLellan will next face the task of sparking a hockey revival in Edmonton with the help of prodigy Connor McDavid, who the Oilers are expected to take with their number one pick in June's NHL Draft.

The troubled Oilers have not had a winning season since 2008-09.

"We've thought it through a lot. I've never had the opportunity to see Connor play live," McLellan said.

"This is a special player. He has a special skill set that the fans are going to enjoy for a long time. But he's still a young man... It's our job to make sure we get the most out of him in a real good environment."

McLellan oversaw 311 wins from 540 matches, plus 66 overtime losses, in his seven-year stint with the Sharks.

The Sharks made six appearances in the Stanley Cup play-offs and won three Pacific Division titles under McLellan's reign, but failed to claim the championship.

McLellan still left San Jose as the franchise leader in wins and games coached.