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TSN.ca Staff
7/19/2006 8:15:20 PM

Sources tell TSN the Edmonton Oilers have rewarded head coach Craig MacTavish with a four-year contract extension.

MacTavish helped guide the Oilers to game 7 of the Stanley Cup final and is widely considered one of the NHL's most respected leaders.

The Oilers didn't pick up MacTavish's option before the playoffs, leading to speculation that MacTavish could be headed elsewhere after a successful postseason.

He's compiled a record of 190-139-47-34 in five seasons with the Oilers, finishing out of the playoffs twice and losing in the first round twice before this year's playoff run.

MacTavish, 47, scored 480 points in 1093 games during his NHL career with the Bruins, Oilers, Rangers, Flyers and Blues.

The Oilers have called a press conference for Thursday morning at 9:00 local, at which they are expected to announce the new deal with MacTavish.

 

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Oilers sign MacTavish to extension

Canadian Press
7/20/2006 11:46:10 AM

EDMONTON (CP) - The Edmonton Oilers have officially extended head coach Craig MacTavish's contract for another four years.

The NHL team also announced Thursday that CEO and president Patrick LaForge has signed on for four more years.

MacTavish, head coach of the Oilers since June 2000, was rewarded after leading the Oilers to their first Stanley Cup final since 1990.

''From his role as a team captain while a player, to his tenure as coach of the Oilers, Craig has been a superb leader,'' Oilers GM Kevin Lowe said in a statement. ''He has the unique ability of being demanding of the players, but he also has a great understanding of what makes today's NHL player successful.''

MacTavish, 47, guided the Oilers on a whirlwind playoff run that saw them upset Detroit, San Jose and Anaheim as an eighth seed before bowing out in seven games to the Carolina Hurricanes in the final. The Oilers declined to pick up MacTavish's contract option after the season, but made it clear they had no intention of letting him leave.

MacTavish has a coaching record of 190-139-47-34 in five seasons with the Oilers, but hadn't led the team past the first round of the playoffs before last season. He is also one of the front-runners to coach Canada's entry at the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver.

MacTavish ranks second on Edmonton's all-time coaching list in games (410), wins (190) and winning percentage (.537). He is third in playoff games coached (36), playoff wins (19) and winning percentage (.528).

MacTavish - known widely as the NHL's last helmetless player - posted 213 goals and 267 assists in 1,093 career games with Boston, Edmonton, the New York Rangers, Philadelphia and St. Louis. He helped guide the Oilers to three Stanley Cup titles, and captured a fourth with the Rangers in 1994.

Laforge took over as president and CEO six years ago.

''We're very pleased that Patrick will continue on in his role as president of the Edmonton Oilers,'' said Cal Nichols, chairman of the Edmonton Investor's Group. ''Patrick brings professionalism, leadership, and marketing savvy to the job every day, and it's great to know that he'll continue doing so for another four years.''

 

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4 years? I expected 2... maybe 3. 4's quite a lot for a Coach, whoever the Coach is.