Oilers reportedly fire Kris Knoblauch

The Edmonton Oilers fired coach Kris Knoblauch on Thursday, two weeks after the team’s first-round playoff exit against the Anaheim Ducks. NHL.com said no replacement was named. The move ended Knoblauch’s run after he had taken Edmonton to the Stanley Cup Final in each of the previous two seasons. General manager Stan Bowman said in a team statement that the club made the change after “a thorough review” of the season. ### When did the reported move become official? NHL.com reported on May 14 that Knoblauch “was fired as coach of the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday,” moving the story beyond the earlier report carried by Bleacher Report. Bleacher Report had said the dismissal came after Edmonton’s first-round loss, but the league site and other outlets later reported the team had made the decision official. (nhl.com) CBC reported that Bowman also confirmed assistant coach Mark Stuart was dismissed. The Oilers’ official website was not accessible through the browsing tool, but NHL.com and multiple news reports matched on the timing of the move and the lack of an immediate successor. ### What result pushed Edmonton out of the playoffs? Edmonton lost 5-2 to Anaheim in Game 6 of the Western Conference First Round on May 7, according to NHL.com, dropping the best-of-seven series 4-2. (nhl.com) The league site said the Oilers finished the regular season 41-30-11 and were eliminated in the first round for the first time since 2021. (cbc.ca) Connor McDavid told NHL.com after the elimination that Edmonton had been “an average team all year,” adding that a team with high expectations would be disappointed by that result. NHL.com also said the club won Game 1, then lost the next three games to Anaheim before extending the series in Game 5 and bowing out in Game 6. ### What was Knoblauch’s record with the Oilers? (nhl.com) Knoblauch, 47, went 135-77-21 in the regular season and 31-22 in the Stanley Cup Playoffs with Edmonton, according to NHL.com. He replaced Jay Woodcroft after Woodcroft was fired on Nov. 12, 2023, and was named the 18th head coach in franchise history the next day. Bleacher Report said Knoblauch finished with a 166-99-21 combined record between the regular season and playoffs. (nhl.com) Associated Press, carried by Yahoo Sports, reported that his firing came after three seasons and after consecutive trips to the Stanley Cup Final. ### Why is the timing notable? (nhl.com) On Oct. 3, 2025, the Oilers announced a three-year contract extension for Knoblauch through the 2028-29 season. NHL.com said at the time that the new deal would begin with the 2026-27 season. That means Edmonton made the coaching change before the extension was set to start, based on the team’s October announcement and Thursday’s dismissal. (bleacherreport.com) Field Level Media and other reports highlighted that timing as part of the decision. ### Who is making the next decision for Edmonton? Stan Bowman said in the team statement cited by multiple outlets that “these changes are needed” after the club’s internal review. (nhl.com) NHL.com said no replacement had been named as of Thursday morning. The next formal step is the Oilers’ coaching search under Bowman, with no public timetable announced on May 14. (nhl.com) NHL.com’s team page and the league’s offseason coverage are the clearest places to watch for the next named participant in that process. (nhl.com) (aol.com)