Despite reaching the Stanley Cup Final the past two seasons, the Edmonton Oilers have fired coach Kris Knoblauch, the team announced Thursday. Assistant coach Mark Stuart, who had been on the Oilers’ staff since 2022, was also dismissed as the club pushed for changes aimed at winning a Stanley Cup with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.
Knoblauch had signed a three-year extension in October that had not yet taken effect, and the Oilers will be on the hook to pay out that deal in addition to a new coach’s contract, the report says.
Sources told ESPN that the Oilers would like to interview Bruce Cassidy, but they must work on permission through the Vegas Golden Knights because Cassidy is still being paid by Vegas following his late-season firing, per the report.
General manager Stan Bowman said in a statement, “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.” Knoblauch, 47, was hired in November 2023 after Jay Woodcroft was fired 13 games into the season and found early success with Edmonton.
The Oilers reached the Stanley Cup Final in Knoblauch’s first two seasons but fell to the Florida Panthers both times. This season, the club could not establish momentum despite McDavid winning another Art Ross Trophy as the NHL’s top scorer; poor goaltending and leaky defense were cited as structural issues. Draisaitl warned the club’s Stanley Cup window could be closing, saying, “I am concerned because we’re not trending in the right direction. We’ve taken big steps backwards and have to get a grip of this and head back in the right direction.” Draisaitl returned for Game 1 of the playoffs after missing the final 14 regular-season games with a lower-body injury treated in Germany, and McDavid was playing through a fracture in the foot/ankle area. The Oilers are under pressure to deliver a championship to their star, and last summer McDavid chose a team-friendly deal that runs through 2028-29 rather than a long-term commitment.
