Why Oilers fired Kris Knoblauch and what it means for Connor McDavid's future in Edmonton originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Connor McDavid has gotten used to coaching changes across his soon-to-be 12-year career. The Oilers sacked five coaches across McDavid's tenure in Alberta's capital city, struggling to find consistency even as the goals and points flowed from his glimmering stick.
On Thursday, they added another name to that ignominious list. Edmonton sacked Kris Knoblauch, ending a three-year spell that featured back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals appearances in 2024 and 2025.
Knoblauch achieved marked success across his stint with the Oilers, posting a .624 points percentage, the second-highest mark of a coach who presided over at least 100 games in Edmonton.
The writing appeared on the wall for Knoblauch in the days leading up to his dismissal. On May 12, Hockey247's Frank Seravalli reported that the Golden Knights withheld permission for the Oilers to speak with former Vegas head coach Bruce Cassidy. The Golden Knights sacked Cassidy with eight games left in the regular season. They still retain his rights, however — Cassidy remains under contract and is still being paid by the team after his firing.
Knoblauch's firing — and the haphazard nature of the Oilers' courting of Cassidy — has proven a contentious topic across Edmonton's fanbase. Here's the skinny on why the Oilers felt compelled to oust him from the bench following Edmonton's premature postseason exit.
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Why Oilers fired Kris Knoblauch?
With McDavid signing a two-year extension, the Oilers have precious little time to shore up their Stanley Cup aspirations. Knoblauch brought the franchise to the cusp of a championship on two occasions, but things grew flat during the 2025-26 season despite McDavid's best efforts.
Edmonton limped to a 41-30-11 record in 2025-26, its worst win rate since the 2018-19 season. McDavid still produced at a Hart-caliber level, recording 48 goals and 138 points in the second-most prolific season of his NHL career. But the Oilers looked less like a well-oiled machine capable of charting another lengthy run through the tournament and more like a side relying on its superstars to get it out of games.
During the playoffs, the team's true disposition came into focus. McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Vasily Podkolzin and Kasperi Kapanen impressed, but the team's defensive and goaltending woes reared their ugly heads once more, resulting in a 4-2 series defeat to the Ducks.
Knoblauch's tactics drew some criticism during postseason play. Edmonton struggled to blunt Anaheim's dump-and-chase strategy, while the Oilers' forecheck looked underwhelming across the six-game set.
MORE: Why Golden Knights are reportedly withholding Oilers from interviewing Bruce Cassidy
Knoblauch's credentials are noteworthy. He was the first coach to bring Edmonton to the Stanley Cup Finals since Craig MacTavish did so in 2005-06. If not for an offensive no-show in Game 7 of the 2024 series against the Panthers, the Oilers could very well have another piece of hardware in their collection.
Edmonton's roster construction also left something to be desired. Stan Bowman's decisions to sign Trent Frederic on an eight-year, $30.8 million extension and trading Stuart Skinner, Brett Kulak and a second-round pick for Tristan Jarry have been roundly criticized, leading some to believe it should be him — not Knoblauch — who should be handed his pink slip.
Regardless, it was clear a change had to be made in the Oilers ranks. Bowman and Edmonton's owners settled on Knoblauch to be the person to take the fall. Only time will tell if that decision was the correct one.
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What Kris Knoblauch firing means for Connor McDavid
On an individual level, Connor McDavid remained remarkably effective under Knoblauch's tutelage. Across three seasons (Knoblauch took the reins of Edmonton's coaching staff 13 games into the 2023-24 season), McDavid tallied 106 goals and 370 points, good for an average of 123.3 points per year.
McDavid proved similarly prolific in postseason play, becoming the sixth player to win the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP while losing the Stanley Cup Final. He followed that campaign by leading the postseason in points in 2025.
MORE: How another playoff disappointment could impact Connor McDavid's future in Edmonton
Still, things weren't easy for McDavid. According to Puck IQ (via The Athletic), McDavid faced elite competition 39 percent of the time at five-on-five. A new coach could seek to lessen the burden he and Draisaitl face. McDavid sacrificed money to stay in town. That should open up space for the Oilers' front office to improve its supporting cast. A new boss could amplify those benefits, opening up space for McDavid and Draisaitl to gash opposition defenses.
With McDavid and Draisaitl in tow, Edmonton should have the pick of the litter when it comes to securing a potential tactician. If Bowman and Co. make the right choice, it could propel the Oilers to title contention immediately.
Kris Knoblauch's record with Oilers
Season
Team
Record
Points
Postseason Finish
2023-24
Oilers
46-18-5
97
Lost in Stanley Cup Finals
2024-25
Oilers
48-29-5
101
Lost in Stanley Cup Finals
2025-26
Oilers
41-30-11
93
Lost in first round
Total
–
135-77-21
—
—
Kris Knoblauch contract
Knoblauch inked a three-year extension ahead of the 2025-26 season. Terms of the deal weren't made public, although the Edmonton Journal estimated that Knoblauch's latest deal could fetch him around $2.5 million a season.
MORE:Explaining Connor McDavid's Oilers contract
