The Edmonton Oilers announced on Thursday that the team has fired head coach Kris Knoblauch. He led Edmonton to two straight Stanley Cup final appearances before the club’s first-round playoff exit last month.
“Following a thorough review of this past season, we believe these changes are needed,” GM Stan Bowman said in a statement. “We are grateful for the contributions both Kris and Mark have made to our organization, and we wish them the best moving forward.”
There was no immediate word on a replacement. Assistant coach Mark Stuart was also let go, the team said.
Oilers Moving on From Knoblauch
After an ugly 3-9-1 start and sitting 31st in the NHL standings in November 2023, the Oilers fired Jay Woodcroft as head coach and hired Knoblauch.
Edmonton turned things around under Knoblauch and then fought through three playoff rounds before falling to the Florida Panthers in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final series.
The Oilers returned to the final 12 months later but again lost to the Panthers, this time in six games. A third straight trip to the final was not in the cards this year. Edmonton bowed out of the playoffs this spring after a six-game loss to the Anaheim Ducks.
The Search for a New Coach Will Begin
Knoblauch, who replaced Jay Woodcroft to secure his first NHL head coaching role, signed a three-year contract extension last October, but Edmonton didn’t have the same look this past season. Even with elite talent up front in Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, the group struggled to find traction.
The Oilers’ goaltending remained a near-constant talking point. Bowman traded Stuart Skinner to the Pittsburgh Penguins for fellow netminder Tristan Jarry in a deal which turned into a disaster. There were other talent deficiencies up front mixed with a leaky defence corps. It all proved to be a challenge.
Edmonton finished second in the Pacific Division in a season where it allowed more goals than any other playoff team. The power play ranked first, but penalty killing was an issue at 20th in the league.
