Kris Knoblauch enjoyed success for two seasons but Edmonton fell off this year. Walter Tychnowicz / Imagn Images
The Edmonton Oilers fired Kris Knoblauch on Thursday, cutting ties with the coach who led them to consecutive Stanley Cup Final appearances before a disappointing 2025-26 season, a league source has confirmed to The Athletic. TSN’s Ryan Rishaug was the first to report Knoblauch’s firing.
The Oilers later announced Knoblauch’s dismissal in a news release. Assistant coach Mark Stuart was also let go.
“Following a thorough review of this past season, we believe these changes are needed. We are grateful for the contributions both Kris and Mark have made to our organization and we wish them the best moving forward,” general manager Stan Bowman said in a statement.
Knoblauch, 47, was hired in November 2023 to replace Jay Woodcroft, and in his less than three full regular seasons, his Oilers posted a 135-77-21 record and won two Western Conference titles before twice falling short against the Florida Panthers — including a seven-game series in 2024 — despite the presence of future Hall of Famers Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.
