Edmonton Oilers and head coach Jay Woodcroft are nearing a three-year contract extension, NHL expert Kevin Weekes said Saturday.
The news should come as no surprise. Both the Oilers and Woodcroft said at the end of the season that they would discuss an overtime and it was hard to imagine a scenario where it would not happen.
** Breaking news ** 🚨 📰.
It’s a developing and fluid situation, but I’m told @EdmontonOilers is close to signing HC Jay Woodcroft with a 3-year deal. @NHL #HockeyTwitter pic.twitter.com/QamZbxs23t
– Kevin Weekes (@KevinWeekes) June 18, 2022
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After a tumultuous stretch in January, the Oilers fired head coach Dave Tippett and promoted Woodcroft from the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors. Under Woodcroft, the Oilers recorded a 26-9-3 record, finishing second in the Pacific Division while scoring 72.4% of games.
The Oilers faced the LA Kings in the first round of the playoffs in a series where Edmonton won the sixth game on the road before closing it out at home seven. Arriving in the second round, the Oilers came out in a disappointing game against the Calgary Flames, only to return and win four in a row.
The series victory gave Edmonton its first place in the Conference Finals in 16 years, the last time the team beat the Anaheim Mighty Ducks in five games. Although the Oilers were swept away by an elite Colorado Avalanche team, the season was a success.
Edmonton looked like a different team under Woodcroft and the numbers proved it. From the time he was promoted to the end of the regular season, the Oilers had the second-best record in the league. At 5 × 5, the Oilers controlled 52.63 percent of shooting attempts (8th), 56.02 percent of goals scored (5th) and 52.60 percent of the expected goal share (10th) ).
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