from Mark Spector of Sportsnet,

The clichés follow Ken Hitchcock.

His players hate to play for him. His style doesn’t work with today’s players.

And this old chestnut: He has a “shelf life.” Like every coach in Edmonton hasn’t had a shelf life.

As news broke this past few days that Hitchcock has two years remaining after this one on his contract with the Oilers, the possibility suddenly existed that he could return as head coach next season.

Now, a new general manager will be hired, and we’d almost guarantee that his choice as a head coach will not be a 67-year-old who won his only Stanley Cup 19 months after Connor McDavid was born.

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