from Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal,

You can forgive Todd Nelson if he feels a bit like he’s on the outside looking in these days.

Nelson still has a contract with the Edmonton Oilers as their coach — albeit with an interim tag after replacing Dallas Eakins early last December — but now Detroit’s Mike Babcock has popped into the picture in a big way. And, of course, Todd McLellan, coach of Canada’s team at the world championships, has been lurking for weeks.

Taylor Hall and his Edmonton teammates are solidly onside with Nelson; he made the Oilers relevant over the last four months, and got the team playing with much more purpose. But Nelson probably knows in his heart of hearts the Oilers are going to replace him as head man.

Babcock is the “marquee coach.”

McLellan, the ex-San Jose Sharks coach, has more NHL cachet, too.

Nelson was interviewed Saturday by Oilers GM Peter Chiarelli, but it may have been only a courtesy meeting — although Chiarelli probably wanted his take on all the Oilers players, too.

Nelson deserves better, for sure; certainly after he turned the Oilers around in his brief time behind the bench. He’s a bright guy but has been an NHL head coach for only four months or so.

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