- Oilers fire head coach Kris Knoblauch after first-round exit to the Ducks
- Move follows reports Edmonton sought permission from Vegas to interview Bruce Cassidy
- Read below for the full breakdown of how Stan Bowman’s coaching search forced the firing
The Oilers finally pulled the plug on Kris Knoblauch.
TSN’s Ryan Rishaug reported Thursday that Edmonton has relieved Knoblauch of his head coaching duties, ending a three-season run that produced back-to-back Stanley Cup Final appearances and an offseason that turned into a circus once the team’s pursuit of Bruce Cassidy leaked.
Edmonton flamed out in the first round just two weeks ago, dropping a six-game series to the Anaheim Ducks. Connor McDavid called the Oilers an “average team all year” after Game 6, and the captain didn’t hide his frustration with where the group was heading.
What really pushed this over the edge: the Bruce Cassidy mess.
Frank Seravalli reported Tuesday that GM Stan Bowman had sought permission from the Vegas Golden Knights to interview Cassidy, who Vegas fired in March. Vegas refused to budge on the request, and Knoblauch was still technically employed when the story leaked.
The backlash was instant. Jeff O’Neill called the move classless on the OverDrive radio show. Craig Button piled on with similar shots.
Once Cassidy’s name was floating around publicly, Knoblauch’s days were numbered.
He leaves Edmonton with a 135-77-21 regular-season record and a 31-22 playoff mark across three postseason runs. That includes six series wins and two trips to a Cup Final, both of which ended with Florida lifting the trophy.
Knoblauch had only just signed a three-year extension that was set to kick in next season. Bowman now has to fill the chair, and Cassidy is still the obvious target if Vegas decides to grant permission.
McDavid has one year left on his deal. He’s watching all of this play out before he decides whether to commit to Edmonton long-term.
