Kris Knoblauch Reportedly Fired by Oilers After 1st-Round Loss in NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs Bracket

Two weeks after their first-round playoff loss to the Anaheim Ducks, the Edmonton Oilers have reportedly fired head coach Kris Knoblauch.

Per TSN's Ryan Rishaug, Knoblauch was relieved of his duties on Thursday after three seasons in Edmonton.

The Oilers' season ended on April 30 with a 5-2 loss to the Ducks in Game 6 of their first-round series. It marked their first opening-round loss since the 2020-21 season.

This was also the Oilers' worst 82-game regular season since 2018-19. They finished 41-30-11 with 93 points after recording four straight seasons with more than 100 points.

Knoblauch was hired by the Oilers in November 2023, taking over early in the season after Jay Woodcroft was fired following a 3-9-1 start. The 47-year-old had never been a head coach in the NHL at the time, but he worked for 11 seasons between the WHL, OHL and AHL from 2010 to '23.

The move provided immediate results for the Oilers, who finished the 2023-24 season with a 46-18-5 record in Knoblauch's 69 games. They advanced to the Stanley Cup Final for the the first time since 2006, losing to the Florida Panthers in seven games.

Edmonton came back with another stellar season in 2024-25, finishing with 101 points and reaching the Stanley Cup Final again. For the second consecutive year, though, the Oilers would lose to the Panthers.

In addition to their on-ice regression this season, the Oilers are under growing pressure with Connor McDavid after he opted to sign a short-term contract extension last October that runs through the 2027-28 season.

Coaching stability has not been a hallmark for the Oilers throughout McDavid's career. Since his rookie season in 2015-16, the team has had five different head coaches.

Knoblauch was the most successful of that group, getting the Oilers to the cusp of a Stanley Cup title in back-to-back years. He finished his tenure with a 166-99-21 record between the regular season and playoffs.