3 options to replace Kris Knoblauch as Oilers’ head coach

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3 options to replace Kris Knoblauch as Oilers’ head coach

Christopher Hennessy, ClutchPoints · ClutchPoints

Thu, May 14, 2026 ·

4 min read

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The Edmonton Oilers have fired Kris Knoblauch after three seasons as the head coach. After two straight trips to the Stanley Cup Final, Edmonton managed only 93 points in the regular season and was eliminated in the first round. The Oilers have already tried to interview Bruce Cassidy, but the Vegas Golden Knights have denied permission. Is the 2023 Stanley Cup Champion the best option? Or should someone else be the next coach in Alberta?

The Oilers are heading into a win-now offseason with a head coach opening. Connor McDavid has two years left on his contract, and they need to get over the hump with the best player in the world in his prime. There are bigger problems on the roster than the coach, but they need to get this hire right.

Who would be the best fit for the Oilers' head coaching vacancy?

Bruce Cassidy would be a great fit

The Oilers have not been able to interview Cassidy yet, but they are fishing in the right ponds, trying to land him. Now that the Toronto Maple Leafs also have a head coaching vacancy, they have some competition. Cassidy went to the 2019 Stanley Cup Final with the Boston Bruins and won the title with the 2023 Golden Knights. That is the kind of experience Edmonton needs in its next head coach.

While the Oilers should hire Cassidy, they may not get the opportunity to even interview him . He was "relieved of his duties" by the Golden Knights, as Knoblauch was by Edmonton, too. That means he is still under contract in Vegas, and the team needs to give any other team permission to interview him. They are not going to do that for a division rival, which makes this pairing unrealistic for now.

On the 32 Thoughts Podcast, Sportsnet insider Elliotte Friedman indicated that permission may, however, be granted. "The league has indicated before that you better have a good reason for denying someone permission. So unless Cassidy doesn't want to coach the Oilers or the [ Los Angeles ] Kings , sooner or later, unless there's a good reason we don't know about, they're gonna have to grant permission."

Is Connor McDavid enough to lure David Carle?

The University of Denver won its 11th National Championship and third in five years this season. That made David Carle the 12th coach in NCAA history to win three national championships. There have long been rumors about Carle coming to the NHL, but he has always denied any interest in leaving Denver. Could Connor McDavid change things?

There are only so many NHL opportunities, something that is always said when Carle's name comes up. But at 36 years old, the Alaska native can be patient, racking up national championships and waiting for the perfect NHL opportunity. But there is only one Connor McDavid, and this may be the last time in his prime that Carle could become his coach.

If Carle truly does not want to leave Denver, then nothing can get him out of the NCAA. The Pioneers have been a college hockey powerhouse, and Carle won two World Junior Championship gold medals in 2024 and 2025. He has accomplished everything there is to accomplish in the amateur game. Maybe it's time for a new challenge.

A first-time NHL coach could be the next Oilers bench boss

The Abbotsford Canucks won the Calder Cup title in the American Hockey League in 2025 under head coach Manny Malhotra . A former journeyman center, Malhotra has spent time with the Vancouver Canucks and Maple Leafs organizations in his coaching career. With Abbotsford GM Ryan Johnson potentially getting the Vancouver job and the Leafs needing a new coach , Malhotra's name has been hot. Maybe he can parlay that into an interview and a job in Edmonton.

While the Maple Leafs' gig is one of the highest-profile jobs in the game, the Oilers job is the best on the market. Even without strong goaltending, the opportunity to lead McDavid and Leon Draisaitl into two playoff runs would be impossible to pass up. Could the Oilers swoop in and snag Malhotra from their Canadian rivals?

The Oilers need another new coach in the McDavid era, and it is their last chance to get the hire right. Who should they name the next bench boss?

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