Former-Oiler hints at joining Edmonton's coaching staff
Photo credit: USA Today Sports
On a recent episode of Oilers NOW with Bob Stauffer, former Edmonton Oiler Derek Ryan talked about his desire to coach in the NHL.
During the interview, Derek spoke on a number of topics, including his criticism of the Oilers for how the team handled his demotion to the AHL, which made all the headlines at the time.
Retired NHLer reveals desire to get involved in a coaching-capacity with the Edmonton Oilers
«I definitely would like to do something like that" Ryan said in the interview, "and I wouldn't mind being involved with the Oilers currently, because of the reach and the touch that I have in that locker room."
Yet, it seems Derek had already performed a de facto coaching role during last season's playoffs. Though he did not dress for the entirety of the post-season, his presence behind the scene was important to the Oilers.
«When you know that you're not really going to be playing every night, it definitely takes the pressure off, and you just kind of become more of an advocate in the locker room, at least for me in my position with that group,» Ryan told Stauffer. «My voice carried a lot of weight with them and I had a lot of close relationships with those players I think I had really tight bonds with everyone."
Derek Ryan is widely respected in the Oilers' organization, especially in the locker-room, an area in which he relates mostly with other players, in a way that perhaps coaches cannot.
«So it's just being more of a positive influence in the locker room, which I was doing when I was playing, but obviously when I wasn't playing, that was becoming more of a focus, and that's something that I could really take pride in.»
Having only recently retired, however, Derek also has other focusses and priorities, like his son, with whom he says he'd like to spend more time now, and whose team he currently coaches in Spokane.
"My son had his first tournament in Seattle last weekend. I was on the bench for every game, and there for every laugh, every smile, every tear, so it's nice to just be there,» Ryan said to Stauffer. «So I think it's just a real opportunity for me to just be present in all that right now, and then as the years go - maybe it's one year, maybe it's three years, I don't know - and then we'll kind of reassess how things are going after that.»
It's very possible that we haven't seen the last of Derek Ryan the coach.
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