Oilers' Coaching Update Emerges After Kris Knoblauch Firing

The Edmonton Oilers have entered a new phase following the firing of head coach Kris Knoblauch after a disappointing 2025-26 season.

The Oilers' decision came after a first-round playoff exit in the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs that capped a season that fell way short of expectations, those being winning the championship after consecutive trips to the finals the prior two seasons.

Knoblauch guided Edmonton to back-to-back Stanley Cup Final losses to the Florida Panthers in 2024 and 2025 before this year's clear regression.

The Oilers finished the regular season with 93 points but were eliminated by the Anaheim Ducks in six games, marking a significant step back from their recent achievements.

Following the firing, The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun reported what's next for the franchise, revealing the Oilers do not have any head coach lined up for an immediate appointment to replace Knoblauch.

"The Oilers don't have a coaching replacement already lined up," LeBrun reported. "They plan a formal search to interview various candidates."

The update confirms Edmonton will conduct a full process rather than immediately appointing a successor, which some believed could be the case amid recent reports of the Oilers' interest in interviewing former Vegas Golden Knights head coach Bruce Cassidy.

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Knoblauch put together a 135-77-21 record during his three-year tenure in Edmonton while leading the Oilers to two Western Conference titles.

Edmonton will now search for its sixth head coach since McDavid entered the league in 2015, with the franchise and NHL's best player still looking to win his first Stanley Cup and entering the final two years under contract with the organization.

Related: Connor McDavid Doesn't Hold Back After Oilers' Playoff Exit

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This story was originally published May 14, 2026 at 11:42 AM.