Oilers Make Coaching Changes, Woodcroft Out, Knoblauch In

The Edmonton Oilers have opted for a coaching shake-up, relieving Jay Woodcroft of his duties as Head Coach. Dave Manson is also out as an assistant. In a subsequent set of moves, the organization swiftly announced Kris Knoblauch as the new head coach, while also introducing Hockey Hall of Famer Paul Coffey as an assistant coach.

This move comes in the wake of the team’s recent victory in Seattle, a win that many had hoped would buy Woodcroft more time but ultimately proved insufficient to secure his position.

The #Oilers announced today that head coach Jay Woodcroft & assistant coach Dave Manson have been relieved of their coaching duties.⁰

Hartford Wolf Pack head coach Kris Knoblauch will assume head coaching duties with the Oilers & will be joined by assistant coach Paul Coffey.

— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) November 12, 2023

The official statement from the Oilers on Sunday morning confirmed the departure of both Woodcroft and Manson, along with the news of the new hires. While there was plenty of chatter Woodcroft’s job wasn’t secure after a terrible start to the season, Saturday’s win might have been a good step towards turning things around. But, the Oilers had likely made up their mind prior to the game considering it was the last game of the current road trip and the replacements had already been found.

What the Oilers Are Bringing In

Knoblauch, the current head coach of the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack since 2019, steps into the role of head coach for the Oilers. He was previously the coach of Connor McDavid during their time with the OHL’s Erie Otters, brings familiarity with the Oilers’ star player to the bench. He is widely considered a great coach, but some are shocked the Oilers didn’t go with someone who had more NHL experience.

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So too, Paul Coffey, who was serving as a senior advisor for the Oilers, is making a transition to the coaching staff as an assistant. Despite his illustrious playing career, Coffey’s coaching experience is relatively limited, primarily involving skills coaching and mentoring his child’s teams in the Toronto Marlboros u15’s and u-16’s. The decision to bring in Coffey adds an element of unpredictability to the coaching dynamics, given his lack of experience at the junior or professional levels. It does suggest the new defensive system the Oilers were trying to implement will change and a more run-and-gun style (like Coffey used to employ when he played) may be on the horizon.

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The Oilers organization seems to be banking on his connection with McDavid and hoping that he can translate his coaching abilities to the NHL level.

Woodcroft Takes the Fall For a Lousy Start and Poor Performances

Woodcroft’s departure follows a tumultuous period for the Oilers, marked by high expectations and Stanley Cup aspirations. But, a recent string of disappointing performances proved too much to keep Woodcroft in the mix. Despite the team’s impressive record under Woodcroft’s regular-season coaching tenure (79-41-13, .643 points percentage), the struggles at the beginning of this season, including a 2-9-1 record, prompted the change in leadership.

If Woodcroft is to blame, it’s because the decision to implement a new defensive system appears to be at the crux of the team’s problems. Although not the sole factor, it serves as a starting point for the challenges faced by the coaching staff. The Oilers are grappling with issues that extend beyond tactical changes, and the hope is that the coaching shake-up will provide a fresh perspective to overcome these obstacles.

This move is reminiscent of the Oilers’ situation two years ago when Head Coach Dave Tippett faced a similar predicament. Back then, the team was caught in a downward spiral, leading to Tippett’s eventual departure. They turned things around fairly quickly. The Oilers organization is now tasked with turning the page and navigating a new path under the leadership of Knoblauch and Coffey.

We’ll never know if this win in Seattle was going to be the start of a turnaround for the Oilers under Woodcroft. The team played well and in the previous two games had limited their opposition to under 20 shots per game.

Longtime Oiler Steve Smith is now interim coach for the AHL Wolf Pack A full-time replacement search will begin shortly there.