McLellan to return to Red Wings

In a stunning turn of events, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman on Monday accepted the request of San Jose
Sharks coach Todd McLellan to return to the Detroit Red Wings.

Hired by the Sharks just days after the Red Wings won the Stanley Cup last June, McLellan helped guide
San Jose to the Presidents’ Trophy with 117 points during the regular season.

Some of the success McLellan enjoyed as Mike Babcock’s top assistant in Detroit appeared to rub off on the
Sharks.

So far in the playoffs, however, it has been SOS — Same Old Sharks.

“I want to go back to a winning organization,” McLellan said Sunday after the Sharks suffered their second straight home loss to the Anaheim Ducks.

San Jose, which has a history of choking in the playoffs, having never reached the Finals, heads to Anaheim
down two games to none in the Western Conference quarterfinal series following Sunday’s 3-2 defeat.

Unaware that the playoffs had even started, Bettman admitted that McLellan’s request was
unprecedented and caught him off guard.

“This was a surprise,” Bettman said. “But in the end, the league determined that it would be best for
the NHL if McLellan returned to a city where people actually care about the sport.”

There was no word on who would coach the Sharks for the remainder of the series.

Meanwhile, McLellan will be back behind the Red Wings’ bench for Game Three of their series against
Columbus on Tuesday.

“We’re thrilled to have Todd back,” Babcock said. “Frankly, we always wondered why he would want to leave
the best organization in sports.”

Ironically, Bettman is scheduled to be in Columbus on Tuesday, although there have been some reports
that he went to Cincinnati instead, getting the two cities confused.

“Ohio is such a big state,” Bettman repeatedly sighed while lost on 1-75 somewhere outside of Dayton.