((HT: TSN))The Edmonton Oilers have found their men.
Pat Quinn ((pictured, thanks Edmonton Journal))was announced as the new head coach at a news conference today with former Rangers coach Tom Renney being named an associate head coach.
Kelly Buchberger, who was an assistant coach with the Oilers last season is remaining on the bench.
"I'm certainly aware of the history of the Oilers," Quinn said. "I'm fully aware of the passion of the fans and the work ethics and the appreciation of talent here. I think we have the opportunity to help this team win and I'm excited to have Tom and Kelly (Buchberger) here. It's a thrill and a joy to return to the rink and I'm happy to be here again."
The move reunites Quinn and Renney with general manager Steve Tambellini from their days together with the Vancouver Canucks. Quinn worked as head coach and general manager for 11 seasons in Vancouver and was behind the bench from 1990 to 1996. Tambellini spent two decades working in Vancouver's front office before joining the Oilers last summer. Renney got his first NHL head coaching job with the Canucks in 1996.
"If I think of leadership, I think of Pat," Tambellini said. "If I think of the way you want to be treated as a player, I think of someone like Pat Quinn. If I think of someone who sets and example morally for an organization of how to go forward, I think of a man like Pat Quinn."
Quinn becomes the ninth head coach in the Oilers' 30-year history, replacing Craig MacTavish, who was fired last month.
Quinn's first stint as an NHL coach came in 1978-79 with the Philadelphia Flyers and also worked behind the bench and in the front office with the Los Angeles Kings, Vancouver Canucks and Toronto Maple Leafs.
He coached five seasons in Vancouver, winning the Jack Adams Award as coach of the year in 1992 and leading the team to the 1994 Stanley Cup final where they lost to the New York Rangers. He joined the Maple Leafs for the 1998-99 season and led the club to two straight appearances in the Eastern Conference Final.
Quinn was also coach of Canada's Olympic entry for Salt Lake City in 2002 and led the Canadian National Men's Hockey Team to gold, ending the team's 50-year drought. Two years later, he returned to coach Team Canada in the 2004 World Cup of Hockey leading them to a championship finish.
After his stint with the Maple Leafs, Quinn worked as Canada's national men's team coach for the 2006 Spengler Cup and led Canada to its fifth straight gold medal at the 2009 World Junior Hockey Championship.
Quinn also has hockey ties to Edmonton, where he was an added player on the Oil Kings 1963 Memorial Cup championship team. One of his teammates was Former Oilers coach and general manager Glen Sather.
Renney, who was fired near the end of the 2008-09 season by the New York Rangers after five-seasons behind the bench expressed his happiness being behind the bench in a support role with Quinn.
"This is a no-brainer," said Renney. "This is a slam dunk. I want to do everything I can within Pat's framework to being a winning product on the ice for our fans."
Here's the coverage from Global Edmonton's noon news... Shaye Ganam is your anchor...
It starts about the 10-minute mark...
And here's Quinn's time with CBC's George Stroumboulopolous on "The Hour..."
