Oilers Fire Knoblauch After Back-to-Back Cup Finals Sport By lines May 14, 2026 The Edmonton Oilers fired head coach Kris Knoblauch on Wednesday. The decision came despite back-to-back Stanley Cup Final appearances in 2024 and 2025. Knoblauch’s contract extension had not yet begun, sources confirmed to ESPN. A Finals Coach Who Could Not Win the Cup The Oilers reached the Stanley Cup Final in consecutive seasons under Knoblauch. Edmonton fell to the Florida Panthers in seven games in the 2024 Final. The Oilers returned to the 2025 Final, again falling short of the franchise’s first championship since 1990. Knoblauch took over the Oilers’ bench in November 2023, replacing Jay Woodcroft mid-season. Edmonton sat at 2-9-1 when Knoblauch stepped in. Knoblauch guided the Oilers to the Cup Final that year in one of the NHL’s more remarkable coaching turnarounds. The Oilers now enter the 2026 offseason without a head coach. Edmonton’s roster features Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl as a generational core. The Oilers coaching vacancy ranks among the NHL’s highest-profile openings heading into summer 2026. Related Sports Coverage Maple Leafs Fire Berube After Missed 2026 Playoffs Avalanche Rally From 3-0 Down to Win Game 5 in OT Hurricanes Sweep Flyers 8-0 in NHL Playoffs Sources: ESPN.
