The Edmonton Oilers named Dave Tippett as their new head coach on Tuesday.
He takes over a team that has missed the playoffs in 12 of the past 13 seasons, despite picking first overall for three straight years from 2010 to 2012 and again in 2015.
There is pressure to win while superstar captain Connor McDavid is still in his prime — and under contract. McDavid, 22, has a deal that runs through 2025-26 with a $12.5 million cap hit.
The Oilers fired Todd McLellan in November, and used longtime NHL coach Ken Hitchcock for the remainder of the season.
Ken Holland was named the team’s new general manager and president of hockey operations earlier this month and informed Hitchcock that he would not return as coach.
Tippett, 57, has 14 years’ experience as an NHL head coach, most recently with the Coyotes from 2009 to ’17. He has also coached the Dallas Stars and has a 553-413-28-120 record in the regular season and 21-26 in the postseason. He led the Stars to the Western Conference finals in 2008.