Long coach list for new GM Holland to peruse

Ken Holland probably feels like a juggler trying to keep so many balls in the air — talking to his pro scouting people, his amateur scouts about the upcoming draft, his team’s medical staff about the injured players — with his head coach search wedged into the full picture.

Holland, who has been on the job as the Edmonton Oilers’ general manager for 10 days, has started the process of finding his first head coach, but whether it’s Seattle expansion team frontman Dave Tippett, Dallas assistant Todd Nelson, Oilers assistant Glen Gulutzan, Columbus assistant Brad Shaw or Oilers farm team coach Jay Woodcroft or anybody else on his extensive list, it’s not happening tomorrow.

There are no age considerations. All he wants is somebody with a strong presence who commands a dressing room and the bench.

“I believe in that very much,” said Holland.

Sounds like Mike Babcock Part 2, his former Red Wings head coach.

“I’ve got a list of 12 to 14 people with a resume I would consider talking to … I’m not meeting them all, but I am calling around to gather information to see if I want to spend some time with them,” said Holland. “I’ve talked to lots of people in the industry, I’m formulating my thoughts and I have talked to a couple of people (head-coaching candidates). I’ll talk to a couple more.

“I’ve leaned on (former Oilers coach) Ken Hitchcock for names because he’s coached against these guys and if he hasn’t he can pick up the phone and call somebody who’s worked with them. Ken Hitchcock’s one of the most successful coaches in NHL history and he moves in the coaching circles. I respect his thoughts.”

Tippett’s name has been front and centre because he’s coached over 1,100 games in Dallas and Arizona. He leads the experience parade and in a Pacific Division with Pete DeBoer (San Jose), Gerard Gallant (Vegas), Todd McLellan (L.A.) and Bill Peters (Calgary), the Oilers may need to match wits with those guys, but not necessarily.

Holland also said he wants a coach he can grow with, so maybe that’s somebody younger like Nelson. Holland knows Nelson, the interim coach here after Dallas Eakins was fired late in 2014, from when he coached Detroit’s farm team in Grand Rapids, Mich., for three years.

But whether he makes the final cut, who knows?

Holland feels Woodcroft, who also worked with the Red Wings for several years, did a bang-up job in Bakersfield. But his elevation to NHL head coach after one year as an AHL head coach may be a tad premature.