The Edmonton Oilers have fired head coach Kris Knoblauch, per an official announcement. The news was first reported by TSN’s Ryan Rishaug. Assistant coach Mark Stuart has also been relieved of his duties.
Oilers GM Stan Bowman issued the following statement regarding the decision:
Following a thorough review of this past season, we believe these changes are needed. We are grateful for the contributions both Kris and Mark have made to our organization and we wish them the best moving forward.
A three-year contract extension signed by Knoblauch has yet to begin, meaning the coach is set to be paid by the Oilers through the 2028-29 season.
This past campaign was Knoblauch’s third behind the bench in Edmonton. He was hired away from the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack early in the 2023-24 season, after Edmonton fired former coach Jay Woodcroft amid a disastrous start to the season. 
Knoblauch, who was Connor McDavid‘s head coach in the OHL and a WHL and OHL championship-winning bench boss, immediately turned the Oilers around. Knoblauch led Edmonton to a 46-18-5 record in the 69 games he coached, and the Oilers went to the Stanley Cup Final.
In the 2024 Final, Knoblauch’s Oilers stormed back from a 3-0 series deficit to the Florida Panthers, nearly accomplishing one of the most stunning championship victories in the history of the sport – but they ended up falling in a nail-biter seventh game.
The following season, Knoblauch’s Oilers, who went 48-29-5, made it to another Stanley Cup Final, but once again lost to the Panthers, this time in six games.
This past season, Knoblauch and the Oilers took a decided step back. Bogged down by roster issues, most pressingly in goal, the Oilers struggled to find their identity all season. They went 41-30-11 and lost in the first round to a young, upstart Anaheim Ducks team. After the loss, McDavid was critical of the Oilers, saying they were “an average team all year.”
The signs that Edmonton would eventually make this decision emerged a few days ago, when reports indicated that the Oilers had requested permission to speak with former Vegas Golden Knights head coach Bruce Cassidy. Cassidy remains under contract with the Golden Knights despite being fired during the season. While requests for permission to speak with fired coaches are usually a formality, the Golden Knights, according to reports, have withheld permission to speak with Cassidy. It is unclear if that has changed or will change.
But the reasons for the Oilers’ interest in Cassidy are clear: he is generally considered the most accomplished coach without a job at the moment, and this is a hire the Oilers can’t afford to get wrong. McDavid signed a two-year contract extension this season, one that would allow him to hit unrestricted free agency after the 2027-28 season. The 29-year-old’s extension officially put the Oilers on the clock – they have to prove to McDavid that he can still win a Stanley Cup in Edmonton. In other words, they have to earn his continued loyalty.
Cassidy, a Stanley Cup champion with Vegas in 2023, would give the Oilers a demanding coach who is still widely considered to be among the league’s best. But even if Edmonton doesn’t end up hiring the former Golden Knights, Boston Bruins, and Washington Capitals head coach, they still have now guaranteed they’ll be making a change behind the bench.
The list of other available veteran coaches doesn’t inspire as much confidence – especially after the New York Islanders took Peter DeBoer off the board late in the regular season – but it would still be a major surprise to see Edmonton turn to another first-time NHL head coach after parting ways with Knoblauch.
As for Knoblauch himself, one would have to imagine he will draw some league-wide interest in his services. The 47-year-old doesn’t have a Stanley Cup ring, but has been able to bring his teams as close as a team can possibly get without winning it all. His contract extension means Knoblauch doesn’t have to rush into his next gig, but it’ll be interesting to see if he’s considered for the vacancy of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Los Angeles Kings, or potentially even in Vegas if current coach John Tortorella decides not to return for a full campaign.
Photos courtesy of Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Dumb. No one else is bringing a Cup back to Edmonton.
I can’t believe Knobluch traded for Tristan Jarry
2008 – Craig MacTavish
2009 – Pat Quinn
2010 – Tom Renney
2012 – Ralph Krueger
2013 – Dallas Eakins
2014 – Todd Nelson interim
2015 – Todd McLellan
2018 – Ken Hitchcock interim
2019 – Dave Tippett
2022 – Jay Woodcroft
2024 – Kris Knoblauch
2026 – Bruce Cassidy (probably)
Maybe it’s not the coach?
No way Cassidy wants that job.
McDavid wants to play for one coach and that coach is employed by Tampa Bay
I don’t know about that…I’d think a team that hires Knoblauch now might be able to take meetings with McDavid in two years. Especially if they have a competent NHL-caliber goaltender.
He’ll get a job. He’s a smart Head Coach and get him in with a GM who isn’t a moron and he’ll do fine.
Why would he go work somewhere when Edmonton owes him his salary for the next 3 years to NOT work?
he may want to play with Celebrini
in the hot sun of California
he probably wants to keep his paycheck and not give it back in taxes
his NHL salary is probably a fraction of endorsements and commercials
Lol
Worst kept secret in the NHL and undeserved. Oilers management really fumbled how they handled this
Wrong guy! Wrong guy! Wrong guy! You fired the wrong guy!
What do you think of the Hawks getting this guy, UM?
Hawks have a coach.
The organization is a joke the owner has to be a mute. Who trades an expiring contract of a guy that has gotten you to the finals 2 years in a row for TRISTAN JARRY ? Just 1 example of total incompetence of a useless front office. No sympathy !
Skinner had been piss poor to that point. it was definitely reactionary to what they were seeing.
this move is strange unless they have someone already lined up they feel beings them over the hump. Vegas has done this numerous times.
but if Cassidy was there guy and they don’t have permission, then this is odd.
Top three worst organizations in the NHL, After VanSweden, And, The Maple Laughs.
(rolls his eyes) The guy got them to the 7th game of the Finals his first year, back to the Finals his second. What makes Edmonton’s roster deficiencies HIS doing? Never mind Cassidy, Scotty F’n Bowman would be hard pressed to do better.
Oiler management should fire themselves! The head coach wasn’t the problem it’s management! Poor management trickles downhill.
Knobby to resurrect the Maple Leafs in his next adventure! 😉😁
That might be interesting, though.
I guess it is a trade asset, trade right/ approve him coaching elsewhere for a draft pick. Only logic I can see here.
What are you talking about? They fired him. The only rights they own are the right to pay him whatever years he had left. They don’t get anything back. LMAO What world do you live in where you can fire somebody then trade him? I’ll wait.
In a sense, yes, they OWN his rights for 2 more years, they are still paying him! They negotiate a settlement upon him getting a job offer with his new team.
Ridiculous. The GM screwed up again and again and the best coach they’ve had in many years takes it on. He will be hired quickly elsewhere but if he is smart sit out a year get free money just to screw with this crap organization. McDavid regretting resigning already
This only makes sense if there is a change in management as well. Knoblauch had simply run out of ideas how to cover the flaws of the roster he was given
Bowman 100% should have been the one to go. That being said, I’m not convinced Knoblauch is anything special. 97 and 29 could make anyone look decent back there.
McDrai didn’t get to the finals with the previous 5 head coaches.
Coaches are the easiest to blame and the easiest to fire. Meanwhile, they haven’t had a goalie since Mike Smith
Knoblauch really should’ve made more saves in goal for the Oilers. I mean, you can’t just expect the lousy goalies that your GM gives you to do all the work. 🙄
He won’t be out of a job too long. LA Kings are probably get him
“…this is a hire the Oilers can’t afford to get wrong.” Famous last words, there. B-head Bowman is still there, and just like a moth to a flame, he is expected to botch this to the nines. Connor’s and Leon’s comments were more directed at Bowman (IMO), not KK. ☹️
Serenity now!
Bowman had better have Bruce Cassidy in his back pocket after this fiasco. If he doesn’t and the Oilers end up with, say, Peter Laviolette, Gerard Gallant or Dean Evasion they could be an even bigger disaster next year than they were last year
It doesn’t make a difference who they bring in, McDavid is going to bounce in 2 years anyways.
Likely gone before two years. Oilers can’t let him walk for nothing.
Bowman is the same d bag who thought it was a good idea to fire Joel Queenville in favor of Jeremy Colliton. You Oiler fans are screwed as long as that Eejit is your GM.
When the team lays an egg early next year, he gets traded by Christmas, if not sooner.
The sooner they trade him, the more they get.
Fans have the right to gripe about anything for any team, but the reality is, as we all see, salary cap is going up and teams are able to keep guys that they could not just a few years ago.
Moreover, guys are getting more control over where they want to play. Severely handcuffs many teams and GM’s. Right now, unless you find a unicorn, even if they can afford it, which they can’t, nobody is coming to town for any term, not knowing what CMD future.
On top of that…there is nobody to be had anyways. And you have no assets to offer for any help needed today.
What they’ll get or McDavid will depend on whether he wants to sign an extension to keep playing for the team they trade him to. Nobody is going to give up a bunch of assets for a rental. Well Bowman would because he’s a moron but nobody else will. If McDavid really wants to be a FA Edmonton is screwed. Bowman strikes again, News at 11.
He should take money for next two years. If I was Cassidy Have someone ask McDavid are you staying if not wait. Someone will can their coach next year when team has a bad start.
Scotty’s kid isn’t even qualified to be a Rotisserie League GM.
#FNepoBabies
Even more fun next year is Tampa will have Sam O’Reilly in calder trophy race all year, while Isaac Howard plays another half season in the AHL.
Lifelong Blackhawks fan here. Not at all shocked. So happy that idiot is no longer the gm of the Hawks. Their long rebuild is because of Bowman’s incompetence.
I think it will only get worse there, under the current management. They need competent goalies and better depth.
Sharks would be a great fit