The Edmonton Oilers find themselves mired in mediocrity just 21 games into the 2025-26 NHL regular season, sparking intense speculation about potential coaching changes. Both head coach Kris Knoblauch and defense coach Mark Stuart are facing mounting pressure as the team's performance continues to disappoint.
Defensive Struggles Under New Leadership
The Oilers currently rank 21st out of 32 NHL teams in standing points, a concerning position for a team that reached the Stanley Cup Final just last season. Much of the scrutiny has fallen on new defense coach Mark Stuart, who replaced Paul Coffey during the offseason. Under Coffey's guidance, the Oilers defense had performed at an elite level, helping drive the team to two consecutive Stanley Cup Finals.
The transition to Stuart's system has been rocky at best. During the first ten games of the season, the defensive corps was particularly atrocious, leaking Grade A shots against with poor puck movement and weak defensive reads. While there has been some improvement in the last ten games, the team suffered embarrassing losses to Colorado and Buffalo where the entire defensive structure collapsed.
NHL Insiders Weigh In on Coaching Situation
The team's struggles haven't gone unnoticed by hockey analysts and insiders. Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman revealed on Oilers Now with Bob Stauffer that he's been hearing persistent rumors about potential coaching changes. Some sources suggested Paul Coffey might return to his former role, though Friedman's investigation indicated this wasn't currently the case.
Frank Seravalli of B/R Open Ice provided deeper analysis, suggesting the impact of losing both Coffey and assistant coach Glen Gulutzan, who moved on to coach the Dallas Stars, hasn't been fully appreciated in Edmonton. I think Coffey had butted heads at various points with some other members of the coaching staff because of the hard edge that he has, Seravalli noted, but it's also part of what made this Oiler defense a lot more formidable.
Knoblauch's Seat Getting Warmer
Head coach Kris Knoblauch, despite leading the Oilers to two Stanley Cup Finals, is also facing increased scrutiny. Seravalli pointed to several concerning trends, including the failure of rookie forwards David Tomasek and Ike Howard to make an impact, and the team getting badly outscored when superstars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl aren't on the ice.
The seat has gotten a little warmer under Kris Knoblauch, Seravalli stated bluntly. He drew parallels to former coach Jay Woodcroft's dismissal under similar circumstances, despite Knoblauch's recent playoff success. The analyst emphasized that missing the playoffs this season is becoming a real possibility, putting additional pressure on general manager Stan Bowman to make changes.
The Oilers' current road trip has provided little relief, with the team continuing to struggle despite opportunities to turn their season around. As the speculation mounts, all eyes remain on Edmonton's front office to see what moves might be made to salvage a season that's rapidly slipping away.
