Edmonton Oilers Lose Valuable Coach to Western Conference Rival

It's not the 50-year-old's first NHL job as he's worked in the Edmonton area as a skating coach for the last decade, also working as a skills coach for the WHL's Edmonton Oil Kings since the 2020-21 season.

He was also an assistant coach for the University of Alberta program from 2018 until 2020. David Pelletier never played hockey at any level but is a well-known pairs figure skater, winning gold for the country of Canada at the 2002 Winter Olympics.

Pelletier is being promoted from skating coach to assistant coach from the press box

The team said Pelletier will not be on the team's bench during games and will instead serve as an «eye-in-the-sky» assistant, likely from up in the press box area.

Dallas' coaching turnover is now finally complete after head coach Peter DeBoer was fired, as well as losing assistants Misha Donskov and Steve Spott to other roles.

Dallas has brought in Gulutzan as head coach and named Pelletier and Neil Graham as the new assistants. Alain Nasreddine still remains from last year's staff and will serve on the bench with Gulutzan and Graham during games.

Pelletier is also a member of the Canadian Olympic and Sports Hall of Fame and was awarded the Lou Marsh Trophy, given to the most outstanding Canadian athlete, way back in 2001.

He was part of the Oil Kings staff that guided the team to a WHL championship as recently as 2022.