Breaking news from the Edmonton Oilers, head coach Kris Knoblauch has been relieved of his duties. They will begin their head coach search in the coming days and weeks as their offseason is underway. This ends Knoblauch’s two and a half year tenure with the Oilers, in which the team made it to the Stanley Cup Final twice. Both instances ended in a series loss to the Florida Panthers.
Credit Image: © Alie Skowronski/Miami Herald via ZUMA Press Wire
The Oilers have relieved Kris Knoblauch of his coaching duties.
— Ryan Rishaug (@TSNRyanRishaug) May 14, 2026
Kris Knoblauch Fired After A Disappointing Season
Knoblauch was hired as head coach of the Oilers in November 2024, when the team went on a 3-9-1 run under Jay Woodcroft to start the season. He will finish his Oilers tenure with a 135-77-21 record over 233 games, for a .624 points percentage. He ranks second among Oilers coaches in points percentage and fourth in wins. The 2025-26 season was a markedly weaker season in terms of performance, with just 93 points. That is the worst season in terms of points percentage since 2018-19, which is the last time they missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Still, the team managed to make the playoffs this season, only to be defeated in the first round by the Anaheim Ducks in six games.
Who Could Be the Next Coach of the Oilers?
As reported earlier this week, Bruce Cassidy was denied permission to speak to the Oilers because he is still under contract with the Vegas Golden Knights, despite the fact that he was relieved of his duties as coach. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reported on Wednesday that the situation remains the same, and that the Los Angeles Kings were also denied permission to speak to Cassidy. Nonetheless, Cassidy still remains the likely front-runner to become the next head coach for the Oilers. Of course, the situation remains fluid, so things can change at any moment as the Oilers begin their search for a new coach.
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