Edmonton, Canada: The Edmonton Oilers, in last place in the NHL’s Western Conference, sacked their coach Dallas Eakins on Monday.
Eakins was in just his second season with the Oilers, who own a dismal 7-19-5 record this season.
They are tied with Eastern Conference cellar-dwellers Carolina for the fewest points in the league at 19.
General manager Craig MacTavish will take over coaching duties on an interim basis before transitioning the team over to Todd Nelson, who joins the staff as an assistant coach.
MacTavish, who coached the Oilers for eight seasons from 2000-2009, will decide when to hand the reins to Nelson, who was in his fifth season coaching the Oilers’ American Hockey League affiliate in Oklahoma City.
The Barons made four AHL play-off appearances under Nelson, including two trips to the conference finals.
Eakins’ dismissal comes as the Oilers are in a free fall, having lost 15 of their last 16 games.
The Oilers haven’t reached the play-offs since losing to the Hurricanes in the 2006 Stanley Cup Finals.
