San Jose Says No To Coach Q, Yes To McLellan

Looks like Joel Quenneville got beat by the Wings again.  This time, it was by former Red Wings assistant coach Todd McLellan, who was offered and accepted the position of San Jose Sharks head coach. 

Apparently, McLellan was scheduled to interview with the Florida Panthers after meeting with the Sharks, but called it off because things went so well in San Jose.  That must be nice.  It's not so nice for Q, whose own interview wasn't as strong despite rumors suggesting he was the top candidate.

McLellan, on the other hand, was named by Terry Frei at the Denver Post as a top-flight candidate for the briefly-vacant top coaching job with the Avs.  And when the Avs hired Tony Granato right out of the gate without so much as calling any other candidates, Frei lamented the lost opportunity.  I'm with him on that one.

So the Avs get a long-time company man with some shady past performances.  The Sharks get one of the brightest, most exciting coaches in the league (basking in the glow of a freshly-won Cup), and Coach Q, at least for now, gets a whole lot of nothing.

That said, the Panthers job is still open, and so is the head coach spot in Toronto.  Oh wait, no it isn't.  Looks like that job was taken by former Sharks coach Ron Wilson.  Man, that sucks.

We might still see the luxurious mustache of manhood behind another NHL bench, so don't worry, but I have a feeling it won't be anywhere else but in the hockey hotbed of Florida.