Oilers Relieve Head Coach Kris Knoblauch and Assistant Coach Mark Stuart of Their Duties
A very ugly breakup. The Oilers organization is deciding to part with not one, but two of their coaches. On Thursday, the Oilers announced that they have relieved head coach Kris Knoblauch and assistant coach Mark Stuart of their duties.
A seemingly head-scratching move due to recent competitive successes. Knoblauch had helped lead Edmonton to a couple of Final appearances. Getting so deep in the postseason to some would seem as though the Oilers are close to the ultimate goal. However, close but no cigar is not what the Oilers franchise or its top elite players are currently okay with; settling for presently or wanting in the near future.
Nonetheless, before his dismissal after this season’s playoffs exit, Knoblauch served as the head coach of the Oilers for three seasons. Knoblauch went 135-77-21 with the team during his tenure. Leading the Oilers to back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals in 2024 and 2025. Edmonton lost to the Florida Panthers on both occasions.
Yet, fast forward to 2026 and Knoblauch as well as Mark Stuart have been shown the door. The Edmonton Oilers released the following brief statement regarding the removal of Stuart and Knoblauch. They state,
Knoblauch had signed a three-year contract Oct. 3, 2025, which was to begin this upcoming season. The next Edmonton coach will be the sixth for Connor McDavid and eighth for Draisaitl since the two entered the League in 2015-16 and 2014-15, respectively. Therefore, getting the head coach position and role filled right this time is of utmost importance.
Oilers Relieve Head Coach Kris Knoblauch and Assistant Coach Mark Stuart of Their Duties
Leon Draisaitl and McDavid said they each felt Edmonton took a step back this season, voicing their displeasure after being eliminated in the first round by the Anaheim Ducks. GM Stan Bowman summed his thoughts up on the situation stating,
“When Kris came to the Oilers, he was the perfect coach at that time, he was exactly what that group needed to take them to almost the Stanley Cup, to Game 7 and then Game 6,” Bowman said. “But as time passes things change, things change for the coach, themselves and the players change, even the players that are here, they evolve, they get a couple of years older, they need maybe different things.
So, what worked one year, or a couple of years, it doesn’t continue to work, then that’s where we are in the results business. I think there is an element of that in play here.”
Draisaitl added, “We have to improve… He’s (McDavid) signed for two more years, and God knows where that goes, but we have two years here as of right now and we have to get significantly better.”
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