It was an extremely disappointing end to the season for the Edmonton Oilers, who had aspirations of making a lengthy postseason run to the Stanley Cup Final for what would have been the third straight year, matching the recent runs of three straight trips to the Final by both the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Florida Panthers.
However, their dreams were dashed by the Anaheim Ducks in the opening round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, marking the first time since 2021 against the Winnipeg Jets that they didn’t advance to the Western Conference Semifinal. It was also the first time since that year that they didn’t have to face the Los Angeles Kings in the opening round.
Instead, it was the second club in Southern California who ended their dreams of bringing home the Stanley Cup for the first time since 1990. And while the roster is sure to undergo multiple changes, there is a good possibility that there could be even bigger changes behind the bench in the mind of one notable NHL Insider.
NHL Insider Frank Seravalli Believes The Edmonton Oilers Will Make A Coaching Change
After removing Jay Woodcroft as head coach following a prolonged losing streak in the early stages of the 2023-24 NHL season, the Oilers promoted AHL coach Kris Knoblauch to the position, and he responded by leading Edmonton to two straight trips to the Stanley Cup Final, though both resulted in losses at the hands of the Florida Panthers.
However, this season was marked by inconsistent play on the ice, leading both Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl to say they believe the club as a whole took a step backward this year; McDavid even called the entire team “average”.
And now, NHL Insider Frank Seravalli believes there is a strong possibility that the club could dismiss Knoblauch.
“I do think significant changes are coming in Edmonton,” said Seravalli on 590 The Fan. “I think a coaching change is likely. I think it’s more likely than not that Kris Knoblauch and his staff are sent packing. I think there’s likely to be front office changes coming in Edmonton as they reshape and restructure.”
Seravalli continued:
“Do they find a way to convince a team, sweeten a package with a team, to move on from Darnell Nurse? I think that’s needed,” he said. “It’s almost like a little bit of addition by subtraction. You can’t have a player taking up that much space on your cap and not producing at a level that is commensurate for your team. That’s on top of going out and getting a goalie.”
Knoblauch has a career coaching record of 135-77-21 with the Oilers.
Connor McDavid Said The Oilers Took A Step Back This Year
According to captain Connor McDavid, the entire club took a step backward in 2025-26.
“Yeah, I feel the same way (as Draisaitl). It’s only a couple of days ago I made those comments. Obviously, I feel the same as I did a couple of days ago, and I agree with Leon that the organization as a whole has taken a step back. That starts with me, it starts with Leon. We can all be better, and we all need to be better,” McDavid said.
NHL Insider Hints At Major Leadership Change For Oilers After Playoff Failure