Edmonton’s coaching situation is obviously the item at the top of G.M. Peter Chiarelli’s to-do list, and it appears he isn’t wasting any time. According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, the Oilers are in hot pursuit of Todd McLellan, and the team hasn’t let up despite the fact that Detroit’s Mike Babcock is now testing the market.

Babcock, obviously, is the most attractive candidate on the coaching market. He’s had regular season success, playoff success and success internationally. With that said, there are certain advantages to hiring McLellan that don’t necessarily come with hiring Babcock.

The first, obviously, is timing. Friedman also tweeted that Babcock would want to visit the city of any team interested in hiring him; since he won’t be back in North America for better than a week and he’s going to have interest from multiple clubs it could be some time before he signs on the dotted line. 

Additionally, Babcock may or may not leave the Red Wings. McLellan doesn’t have a job at the moment; teams talking to him know he’s going to sign on with someone. That isn’t necessarily the case with Babcock. 

There is also the matter of draft pick compensation. Hiring Babcock will cost a team a third-round pick at some point over the next three drafts. That may or may not be the case with McLellan, who had one year left on his deal when he and the Sharks mutually agreed to part ways, but there’s at least a chance that San Jose waives it’s right to compensation, particularly since they’ll be looking to add a coach this summer too.

Perhaps most critical of all is the exact role the new coach will be taking on. Babcock, as befits his status as the belle of the ball, is in a position to demand all sorts of concessions. That, obviously, is going to include a massive pile of money, but one wonders if he’s also going to ask for some hand in hockey operations, similar to the setup in Colorado where Patrick Roy is both head coach and vice president of hockey operations.  

McLellan is, of course, an excellent coach in his own right, even if his career achievements don’t match those of Babcock. Doubtless, he’ll do a fine job, and he’s available more quickly, more cheaply and more definitely than his old boss from his time in Detroit. 

There’s no wrong answer here.