ST. LOUIS, MO - Another stop on the road, another homecoming of sorts for Oilers bench boss Ken Hitchcock.
"It seems like every arena we go to I've coached in," he laughed following Tuesday's Oilers practice at Enterprise Center. "Is there any more left? Am I doing an outdoor rink tour next?."
Hitchcock took over the coaching reins of the St. Louis Blues on Nov. 6, 2011, after the team dismissed Davis Payne from the position. The move paid immediate dividends for the Blues as he turned their 6-7-0 start into a 49-22-11 record and a Central Division crown.
St. Louis cruised past San Jose in five games in the first round of the playoffs but they were ousted in the second round by the eventual Stanley Cup champion eighth-seeded Los Angeles Kings. Despite the premature playoff exit, Hitchcock's efforts after taking over the team a month into the season earned him the 2012 Jack Adams Award as NHL Coach of the Year.
BLOG: Another homecoming for Hitch
Veteran bench boss spent six seasons with St. Louis Blues
