Often, the big picture overshadows the details – and this might be the most fitting way to describe Kris Knoblauch`s impact over the past 18 months, elevating the Edmonton Oilers into genuine Stanley Cup contenders.
Every journey has a beginning. One might initially point to the Oilers` comeback against the Los Angeles Kings in the first round after falling behind 2-0 as the start of their recent success, leading them to consecutive Western Conference Finals appearances.
However, a closer examination suggests the real turnaround began in November 2023 when Jay Woodcroft was replaced by Knoblauch. Since then, Knoblauch has steered the Oilers through what is arguably their most prosperous period since winning their last Stanley Cup in 1990.
“He`s a pretty analytical guy and pretty composed,” said Oilers forward Connor Brown. “I think he sees it clearly in these high-pressure situations. I think his judgement is pretty clear. When he got hired last season, we ended up putting together a couple win streaks. It was the beginning. We were crystal clear on our positioning, our roles individually and then we started to roll from there.”
Coaching is inherently a nuanced profession. It involves the macro view – assessing the team as a whole – blended with the micro – understanding how each player functions within the system. Crucially, it means knowing that real-time, in-game decisions can determine success or leave a franchise wondering what could have been.
It requires confidence in Plan A, but even greater confidence in knowing precisely when to pivot to Plan B, Plan C, or an entirely different approach on the fly.
Knoblauch has reached this level by skillfully navigating these dynamics, fully grasping the consequences of his choices. This is particularly noteworthy given this is his first NHL head coaching role.
Regardless of the outcome of Game 1, the adjustments made for Game 2 are critical to a series` direction. This is a lesson Knoblauch understands deeply, making subsequent games under his leadership especially compelling. For instance, he witnessed the Oilers build a 3-1 lead against the Dallas Stars in Game 1, only to surrender five unanswered goals and lose 6-3. The focus then shifts to the changes Knoblauch implements as the Oilers strive to reach the Stanley Cup Final.
“He pushes the right buttons, and we have an experienced group in here that knows how to play the right way and knows what it takes to win hockey games this time of year,” commented Oilers star center Leon Draisaitl. “That part helps a lot, of course. But we`ve seen him do a great job of sending the right messages at the right times.”
It`s not that the Oilers hadn`t seen success before Knoblauch. They had, but it was different. They made the playoffs four straight years from 2019 to 2022, peaking with a trip to the conference finals in 2022.
The last time the Oilers had more than four consecutive playoff appearances was from 1996 to 2001 (five straight). Advancing to consecutive conference finals is something they hadn`t done since 1987 and 1988. So, what is Knoblauch doing to maximize this roster and bring the team its greatest success in 30 years?
“His demeanor, that calm demeanor works for our group,” Brown noted. “It works really well with our group. We`re a very self-motivated team. You don`t need as much rah-rah, especially in the playoffs because guys are ready to go. Having that composed demeanor behind the bench is beneficial for us.”
Knoblauch`s calm presence was evident during their second-round series against the Vegas Golden Knights. Even after allowing the first two goals in Game 1, he remained composed before making key adjustments during intermission.
These adjustments led to the Oilers allowing just one shot on goal in the second period and scoring four unanswered goals over the next two frames. The coaches` reactions were a study in contrast: Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy showed visible frustration, while Knoblauch maintained the same demeanor despite the Oilers` historic comeback win – their fifth consecutive comeback victory in the postseason, setting an NHL record. The Oilers secured Game 2 with another comeback effort and went on to win the series in five games, with three contests decided by a single goal, two of which went to overtime.
“It`s just not changing our mindset or the way that we want to play,” said Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse. “We never really go chasing a game. We stick to our game and know that if you do enough things the right way, the results will come in our favor. I think that`s the biggest thing about our group. There`s no real panic. We`re just sticking to our game and not getting away from it.”
But that`s the hallmark of Knoblauch: he invests his teams in a way that prevents panic. It`s not a one-off event; it becomes so frequent that it integrates into the team`s identity.
The Golden Knights ranked fifth in goals per game in the regular season and were in the top 10 for shots, scoring chances, and high-danger chances per game. They had 11 players with over 30 points and 11 with over 10 goals.
Yet, against the Oilers, they struggled for consistent offensive production from both primary and secondary scorers. Top stars like Jack Eichel and Tomas Hertl were held goalless, as were breakout players like Pavel Dorofeyev (who missed the first two games) and Brett Howden (a career-high 23 goals). Knoblauch and his staff devised a plan that shut out the Golden Knights in Games 4 and 5, after Edmonton lost Game 3 on a late, fluky goal. They achieved this even after reinserting goaltender Stuart Skinner following Calvin Pickard`s injury. Notably, Mattias Ekholm, a top defenseman, missed the entire postseason.
“He`s a smart coach,” Oilers forward Corey Perry said of Knoblauch. “Those are things that smart coaches do in-game, in game-to-game, day-to-day and it`s worked, it continues to work and hopefully it continues even more.”
What enables Knoblauch to unlock his team`s potential while keeping opponents off balance?
“I think when you have a lot of good players and you have a good team that when you hit Plan B, things look like that was a good plan and that was a good idea to do that,” Knoblauch offered. Before he could continue, someone nearby prompted him to “take the credit.”
“In my time here, we`ve had a lot of good players and a lot of guys who maybe haven`t been in prominent roles,” Knoblauch explained. “Then when you change things up, it gives them a little spark, a little energy, a little just – it changes things up. You also think sometimes, when you don`t make a change, things were going to change anyway. It was just the flow of the game.”
After elaborating on his philosophy, Knoblauch delves into how the decision to make a change is balanced by knowing when *not* to change.
This isn`t just a coach saying the right things for the camera. This is his operational method, one his players have grown accustomed to.
“He has a knack for making adjustments at the right time and not making an adjustment just to make one,” Nurse stated. “I think if the game is not going the way you want it to go sometimes, there are adjustments that are made that are probably unnecessary. But he`s got a great mind to see when they are necessary.”
Nurse feels this became clear the moment Knoblauch took over in November 2023 and has been integral to the Oilers` identity since.
Knoblauch inherited a team that won only three of its first 13 games. He and his staff then built a foundation enabling them to win 46 of the subsequent 69 contests. This involved identifying avenues that allowed Zach Hyman to become a 50-goal scorer, Evan Bouchard to solidify his position as a top-pairing defenseman, and other players to carve out roles, making the Oilers more than just the superstars Connor McDavid and Draisaitl.
The question then became whether this could translate to the 2023-24 postseason. In the second round against the Vancouver Canucks, Knoblauch swapped Skinner for Pickard in Games 4 and 5 before Skinner returned for Game 6, helping them win the series in seven games.
They then fell into a 2-1 series deficit in the Western Conference Finals against the Dallas Stars but rallied to win in six games, avoiding a winner-take-all Game 7 against Peter DeBoer, potentially the greatest Game 7 coach in North American sports history.
While they lost the first three games of the Stanley Cup Final, they fought back to force Game 7, coming within one goal of arguably the greatest comeback in Final history.
Brown, like McDavid, was part of an Erie Otters team in the OHL that went from missing the playoffs to making them in Knoblauch`s first full year with the club.
“He was like that even back then too,” Brown remembered. “He took a team that was struggling and put together some amazing series in Erie and it`s a lot of similarities from back then. I think he`s done a good job of staying true to himself and sticking to what has worked for him.”
Fast-forward to this year. Knoblauch handled being down 2-0 to the Kings in the first round after allowing 12 goals in two games; he went back to Pickard, made the necessary changes to win the series and spark a comeback streak extending into the second round. When Pickard got hurt, he turned to Skinner, who delivered shutouts in Games 4 and 5.
Another adjustment that now appears brilliant? The decision to play Kasperi Kapanen – claimed on waivers in November – in Game 5. Kapanen scored the game- and series-winning goal in overtime, becoming the 14th Oilers forward to score this postseason.
These are more than just good moves. They are tangible proof that Knoblauch`s ability to make adjustments are the critical details often overlooked in the broader narrative – indeed, they are a primary reason the broader narrative exists at all.
They are also why, in a league with significant coaching turnover, Knoblauch ranks as the 10th-longest-tenured head coach in the NHL – and why he might be considered one of the premier strategic minds behind a bench today.
“I think there`s a deep sense of belief in this team,” Brown shared. “So when we`re down, the seed of doubt isn`t in our head. We truly believe we can come back on any lead on any team. When you believe that, you stick to business and it happens.”
Knoblauch mentioned that NHL coaches constantly explore different avenues to improve their teams. One method he employs is seeking feedback from his players.
If a player is performing well, Knoblauch notes what`s working. If they`re struggling, he recalls conversations about player line preferences, hoping that forming a new combination might revitalize a struggling player.
“Those are things I take note of and obviously, the coaching staff [does too],” Knoblauch said. “It`s thinking about if we need to be a little more physical against this line. Or we have to be a little more defensive. A little more speed to it.
“Then we have those conversations also and during the game when we have to make that decision, it`s `Who is playing?` and then all that information you took before, you can use it to make your next decisions.”
