Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Kris Knoblauch

Oilers Sign Kris Knoblauch To Three-Year Extension

at CDT | by 2 Comments

The Oilers and head coach Kris Knoblauch have agreed to terms on a three-year contract extension, per a team announcement. Darren Dreger of TSN was the first to report it.

Dreger confirmed last month that Knoblauch was entering the final season of his current deal. There was no firm extension offer on the table at that time, but things evidently moved quickly and smoothly over the last two weeks. General manager Stan Bowman said Wednesday that talks were productive, with no speed bumps.

So continues a dominant run for Knoblauch, who was brought in early in the 2023-24 season to replace Jay Woodcroft after a slow start. Edmonton has a 94-47-10 record in the 151 games since Knoblauch took over, making his .656 points percentage the best in franchise history – including the club’s WHA days. He’s the first coach since Hall-of-Famer Scotty Bowman to reach the Stanley Cup Final in each of his first two seasons behind the bench, something Bowman achieved in the early days of the expansion era with the Blues in three straight years from 1968-70.

He, of course, benefits from the Western Conference’s most star-studded skater core led by Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Evan Bouchard. The group had extensive regular-season success under previous bench bosses Woodcroft and Dave Tippett, but they didn’t manage to win a game past the second round until Knoblauch took the helm. Edmonton’s only previous Conference Final appearance of the McDavid/Draisaitl era, 2022 under Woodcroft, resulted in a sweep at the hands of the Avalanche.

With playoff success and long-term organizational stability being key to an extension for McDavid, a pending UFA, it’s no surprise the Oilers are moving quickly to secure Knoblauch’s future beyond this season, in the hopes that McDavid will follow suit soon. It was widely believed that McDavid influenced Knoblauch’s hiring two years ago, having played for him in his junior days with the OHL’s Erie Otters.

While Knoblauch has yet to add any NHL honors to his trophy case aside from Edmonton’s two conference championships, he’s been recognized individually during his time at the minor-league and junior levels. He was named the OHL’s Coach of the Year with Erie in 2015-16, despite not having McDavid’s help, and he was also invited to coach at the AHL All-Star Game while with the Hartford Wolf Pack in 2019-20.

Image courtesy of Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports.

Evening Notes: Knoblauch, Wood, Miller, Rangers

at CDT | by 6 Comments

Edmonton GM Stan Bowman told Ryan Rishaug of TSN that extension talks with Head Coach Kris Knoblauch continue, with no foreseen issues ahead. Having taken the Oilers to new heights, and with a window still as open as ever, keeping Connor McDavid’s former OHL coach around is a no-brainer. 

Speaking of the Oilers’ mega star, Bowman did not provide any updates on McDavid, other than that they’re happy to play the long game if needed, and talk consistently with his agent, Judd Moldaver. 

Having acquired Connor Ingram earlier today, Bowman touched on the goalie front as well. Apparently, no talks have emerged with Stuart Skinner or Calvin Pickard yet, and that Ingram has been brought in as another good option for the club. 

It’s fair to say that running it back with Skinner and Pickard again this year has been a bit unexpected. Yet it appears Bowman will keep a close eye on each, evaluating their long-term prospects in Edmonton, especially with an intriguing addition coming into the fold.

Elsewhere across the league:

  • Brooks Bratten, Nashville’s beat reporter, shared today that top prospect Matthew Wood is week-to-week with a lower-body injury, an ailment sustained in the team’s Gold Star Showcase scrimmage last week. The 2023 first-round-pick has made a strong case to remain with the big club so far in camp, after a six-game trial fresh out of the NCAA last season. Now set to miss time, eyes turn to fellow key prospects Brady Martin and Joakim Kemell, who become more likely to make the team given Wood’s injury. Additionally, the Predators claimed Tyson Jost on waivers today.
  • Vince Z. Mercogliano of The Athletic updated today that J.T. Miller remains sidelined since an unassuming lower body injury sustained in practice two days ago. Thankfully, the captain’s ailment isn’t thought to be serious, so perhaps the Rangers are content with being patient. Meanwhile, Sam Carrick was seen back in a red no-contact jersey, and Casey Fitzgerald was absent, but due to being waived today rather than injury. The former Sabres defenseman is expected to be a key piece for AHL Hartford for the second straight season. 

Snapshots: Connor Extension, Knoblauch, Huska, Leskovar

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

With so many headlines devoted to the looming unrestricted free agency of Minnesota Wild superstar Kirill Kaprizov, it can be easy to forget that another one of the game’s most lethal scoring wingers is also set to hit free agency next summer: Kyle Connor. Connor’s $7.14MM AAV deal expires at the end of the season, and Winnipeg Jets owner Mark Chipman commented on the player’s contract status in an interview with RG Media’s James Murphy. While he acknowledged that he’s not directly involved in the negotiations, Chipman said that he does not envision Connor leaving Winnipeg. He added that he expects a contract to be agreed upon “sooner rather than later.”

AFP Analytics currently projects Connor’s next deal to be worth nearly $12MM annually, which would make him the highest-paid player in Winnipeg. Given how well he’s played thus far in his NHL career, it’d be hard to argue Connor isn’t worth $12MM annually (or more), especially since reports indicate Kaprizov could make as much as $16MM AAV on his next contract, if not more. Kaprizov is a superior player to Connor, of course, but Connor isn’t extraordinarily far behind. Connor led the Jets in scoring with 97 points last season, and he added 17 points in just 13 playoff games. He’s the offensive engine behind one of the league’s top regular-season juggernauts, and it’s crucial for the Jets’ competitive hopes that they find a way to retain his services beyond 2025-26.

Some other notes from around the NHL:

  • Insider Darren Dreger reported on TSN’s Insider Trading segment that Edmonton Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch and Calgary Flames head coach Ryan Huska are both entering the final season of their current contracts, and while neither coach has a firm extension offer on the table, both coaches are names to watch entering 2025-26. Knoblauch has been nothing but a success in Edmonton, and although a Stanley Cup championship remains elusive, he’s still widely respected for guiding the team to back-to-back Western Conference titles. Huska hasn’t had the same level of success as Knoblauch, though he also doesn’t get to dress Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl in his lineup on a nightly basis. While the third-year coach didn’t reach the playoffs in either of his first two seasons on the job, he oversaw a stellar rookie campaign from netminder Dustin Wolf and improved the team’s performance in 2024-25 compared to where it was in 2023-24.
  • The Athletic’s Michael Russo and Joe Smith reported today that Minnesota Wild defenseman Stevie Leskovar injured his wrist during a training camp scrimmage, and as a result the start to his season with the team’s AHL affiliate, the Iowa Wild, will be delayed as he recovers. The 21-year-old 2024 sixth-round pick signed an entry-level contract in March of this year and is set to begin his first professional campaign whenever he’s healthy once again. The 6’3, 216-pound blueliner was an alternate captain for the OHL’s Brampton Steelheads last season and got a taste of pro action late in the year, playing in Iowa’s April 19th loss to the Grand Rapids Griffins.

Evening Notes: Kane, Klingberg, Team USA, Backlund, Alexeyev

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

After giving up six goals on 30 shots, it was clear throughout Game One that the Edmonton Oilers could use some reinforcements. According to Sportsnet’s Jack Michaels, that could be a realistic possibility relatively soon.

Michaels publicized a note from Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch indicating that there’s a “very good possibility” Edmonton will have forward Evander Kane and defenseman John Klingberg for Game 2 in their opening-round series against the Los Angeles Kings. Neither player offers much in the defensive zone, but could prove valuable on the Oilers’ forecheck.

Kane will be the most interesting of the two to reinsert into the lineup. Despite letting in six goals, Edmonton still produced five, meaning Kane could give them the offensive edge to win the one-goal contests if their defense and goaltending struggle. Meanwhile, Klingberg failed to garner much offensive consistency with the Oilers in limited action this year, scoring one goal and four points in 11 games.

Other evening notes:

  • Earlier today, USA Hockey announced the rest of their coaching staff for the 2025 IIHF World Championships. According to the announcement, Mike Vellucci (Pittsburgh Penguins), Kevin Dean (Chicago Blackhawks), and Adam Nightingale (Michigan State University) will serve as assistant coaches to head coach Ryan Warsofsky. Meanwhile, Thomas Speer has been named the team’s goaltending coach, while Nick Gialdini (San Jose Sharks) and Lawrence Feloney (Nashville Predators) will be the team’s video coaches.
  • On the other side of the bracket, the Calgary Flames announced an important for Team Sweden this afternoon. The Flames shared that captain Mikael Backlund will participate in the World Championships for Sweden for the first time in seven years. Backlund delivered an outstanding performance in the 2018 IIHF World Championships, scoring two goals and accumulating nine points in 10 games, which helped lead Sweden to consecutive gold medals.
  • Despite winning in overtime in Game 1 against the Montreal Canadiens, the Washington Capitals had an injury scare late in the third period when defenseman Alexander Alexeyev left the game due to being high-sticked by Jake Evans. Fortunately, Alexeyev’s absence will not be lengthy, as Sammi Silber of The Hockey News reports he will rejoin the lineup tomorrow night. It’s an important injury update for the Capitals as the team recently lost defenseman Martin Fehérváry for the postseason due to knee surgery.

Leon Draisaitl Will Be Game-Time Decision For Game 2

at CDT | by 2 Comments

Sportsnet is reporting that Edmonton Oilers star Leon Draisaitl will be a game-time decision tonight when the Oilers take on the Vancouver Canucks in Game 2 of their second-round series. The report comes one day after Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch told the media that Draisaitl was day-to-day after he’d missed practice. The 28-year-old left halfway through Game 1 but ultimately returned for the third period in the Oilers 5-4 loss. After the game, Knoblauch told reporters that Draisaitl had been dealing with equipment issues and cramping that caused him to miss significant time.

The Cologne, Germany native is once again playing dominant hockey in the playoffs and his injury comes at a time when the Oilers haven’t been able to generate much offense at even strength. Draisaitl has five goals and seven assists in six playoff games thus far and has carried the scoring for the Oilers alongside Connor McDavid, Zach Hyman and Evan Bouchard.

Draisaitl will take the warm-up with the Oilers and a decision will be made afterward on whether he can play. Some pundits have speculated that he suffered an injury when he took a shot to the back from Canucks defenseman Tyler Myers. The hit didn’t look like much as Draisaitl was able to maintain possession of the puck, but it could have him in a spot where he didn’t have padding.

It’s not the first time he’s dealt with health issues in the playoffs, two years ago Draisaitl played through a high-ankle sprain that he suffered in the first round. He continued to play through the pain and was dominant offensively, although his defensive game fell off as he struggled to keep up with the play in the defensive zone.

Trade Deadline Primer: Edmonton Oilers

at CDT | by 6 Comments

With the All-Star break in the rear-view, the trade deadline looms large and is now less than a month away. Where does each team stand, and what moves should they be looking to make? We continue our look around the league with the Edmonton Oilers.

For the second consecutive season, the Oilers started slowly. The team started so poorly this season that it resulted in the firing of head coach Jay Woodcroft after just 13 games. Since their 3-9-1 start to the season, Edmonton has rebounded under Kris Knoblauch with a 27-7 record that includes a near-record 16-game winning streak. The Oilers now once again look like a legitimate Stanley Cup contender and will no doubt be looking to add to their lineup at the trade deadline. The club has already been linked to Pittsburgh Penguins forward Jake Guentzel and will surely be in on some of the other big names in the upcoming weeks. The Oilers don’t have much in the way of cap space and will need to get creative to fill in some of the remaining holes on their roster. But with the uncertainty around the futures of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, they are likely to do everything they can to add to an already formidable lineup.

Record

30-16-1, 3rd in the Pacific

Deadline Status

Buyer

Deadline Cap Space

 $2.374MM on deadline day, 0/3 retention slots used, 46/50 contracts used, per CapFriendly.

Upcoming Draft Picks

2024: EDM 1st, EDM 2nd, EDM 5th, EDM 6th, NASH 6th
2025: EDM 1st, EDM 3rd, EDM 4th, EDM 5th, EDM 6th, EDM 7th

Trade Chips

Edmonton probably isn’t looking to move much off of their NHL roster to facilitate a trade, however, they will likely need to shed some salary to acquire any high-priced talent. There have been rumors in recent weeks that they would like to shed Cody Ceci and his $3.25MM cap hit, and they also have Jack Campbell toiling in the AHL with his $5MM cap hit, but if Edmonton wanted to move on from either player it would require a sizeable asset to move the money out.

The Oilers do have some assets if they want to make a big move, as they still possess their first-round pick in the next few drafts and have most of their other draft capital as well. There will also be interest in defenseman Philip Broberg despite his lack of NHL success. The 22-year-old hasn’t exactly had a seamless transition to professional hockey, but he is having a strong season in the AHL.

Edmonton has one of the worst farm systems in the NHL, but it isn’t without a couple of intriguing players. Xavier Bourgault is not having the type of season he or the Oilers were hoping for with just six goals and 10 assists in 39 AHL games. The 2021 first-round pick is ranked by many as the Oilers’ top prospect and has shown that he is a great special teams player, but his scoring just isn’t there at even strength. He along with Broberg could be pieces of a bigger package to acquire a big-name player. But if they are the central pieces, it might require the Oilers to give up multiple first-round picks.

Another Oilers prospect is Raphael Lavoie whose size will certainly be alluring to teams who are looking for a big center with untapped potential. Lavoie is having a decent season in the AHL with 15 goals and 11 assists in 33 games, but at 23 years of age, it is hard to consider him a prospect at this point, especially one that can fetch to top-6 forward such as Guentzel.

If Edmonton does want to make a splash, it may require moving out young forward Dylan Holloway, who hasn’t found his offensive game in the NHL but does have good underlying numbers and will almost certainly be an NHL player. Holloway has posted good offensive numbers in the AHL but hasn’t spent of ton of time playing in Edmonton’s top-9 and could find that side of his game if given a chance.

One other intriguing prospect who could draw some interest is Matvei Petrov. The 20-year-old has had a slow start to his professional career with Bakersfield this season, and had a terrific, albeit brief OHL career with the North Bay Battalion. The former sixth-round pick has just five goals and three assists in 30 AHL games with the Condors but had 67 goals and 116 assists in 128 career OHL games. Petrov has good vision and hockey sense but is on the lighter side at the moment and could become much stronger on the puck if he could fill out his 6’2” frame.

Other Potential Trade Chips: D Beau Akey, F Maxim Berezkin

Team Needs

1) Top-6 Forward: The Oilers shuffled their lines yesterday and moved Corey Perry onto their second line. While Perry still has a role in the NHL, his days of being a top-6 forward are well behind him. The Oilers have a considerable gap between their top five forwards and all the remaining ones. Therein lies the need for another top-six winger. The Oilers would probably love to get a right shot forward, however, the market may force them to look at the left side which is why Guentzel’s name is being thrown around. If Edmonton can’t land a top-six forward, they could opt for a top-9 forward as a fallback option. Something they thought they were getting last summer when they signed Connor Brown.

2) A Reliable Second Goaltender: An argument could be made for an additional defender, but goaltending has been problematic for the Oilers for quite some time, which is why they signed Campbell two summers ago. Stuart Skinner has performed admirably for the Oilers and has earned the starter net. However, Edmonton would do well to find a solid backup who could take the net if Skinner were to falter or be dealt an injury. Alex Nedeljkovic out of Pittsburgh could be a good option should the Penguins falter and opt to sell at the deadline.  The Vegas Golden Knights showed last year that a team can never have too much reliable goaltending, and while the Oilers have three goaltenders who can play in the NHL, two of the three have a history of seeing their play fall off considerably. Something the Oilers can’t have as their contention window gets smaller and smaller.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Morning Notes: Oilers Coaching, Hurricanes, Rangers

at CDT | by 11 Comments

Elliotte Friedman provided more insight into the Edmonton Oilers’ coaching decision in the most recent episode of the 32 Thoughts podcast, explaining that team CEO Jeff Jackson had been a very big fan of Kris Knoblauch for a while. Friedman also added that the Oilers wanted to make this decision sooner rather than later, in an effort to get the team going for the mid-season, referencing teams like the 2019 St. Louis Blues.

This provides a little more clarity to a coaching decision that came suddenly, albeit not surprisingly. The Oilers are off to an abysmal start to the season, currently ranked second-to-last in the league with a 3-9-1 record. They sit one win ahead of the San Jose Sharks, who have gone 2-12-1 through their first 15 games. They’ll now lean on a rookie NHL head coach in Knoblauch, who most recently led the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack to a 35-26-11 record and a Round 2 playoff loss last season. Knoblauch won two OHL championships in seven years coaching in the league. The first came with a Kootenay Ice team led by Brayden McNabb, Matt Fraser, and Max Reinhart. The second came with the talented 2016-17 Erie Otters roster, which featured Alex Debrincat, Dylan Strome, Anthony Cirelli, and Warren Foegele. Knoblauch also coached Connor McDavid during his three years in juniors – a fact that Friedman said didn’t necessarily weigh into his new role in Edmonton, as the team were fans of Knoblauch separate from that connection.

With the confidence of leadership behind him, Knoblauch could be poised to do something special with an Oilers roster that many expected to shine this season.

More notes from around the league:

  • The Carolina Hurricanes have assigned Vasiliy Ponomarev, Domenick Fensore, Griffin Mendel, and Ronan Seeley to the Chicago Wolves of the AHL. Each player had been playing elsewhere to start the season, as Chicago officially opted to disconnect themselves from the Hurricanes earlier in the year. But the Wolves currently find them second-to-last in the AHL, repping a 2-6-1 record, and are now in need of reinforcements from their former NHL affiliate. The latter three assignees have started the early season in the ECHL and are earning a promotion with the move to Chicago.
  • The New York Rangers have assigned Louis Domingue and Connor Mackey to the AHL lineup. Both players have bounced back and forth between the major and minor leagues, with both getting assigned to the minors on November 10th, recalled on the 11th, and now reassigned on the 13th.

Pro Hockey Rumors is not affiliated with National Hockey League, NHL or NHL.com

Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

scroll to top