Edmonton Oilers coach Knoblauch has done something nobody else has done before
The Edmonton Oilers have two of the best players in the world, and they might also have one of the best coaches as well.
Kris Knoblauch has not been coaching in the NHL for a long time, but what he has accomplished in under two years has been nothing short of historical. The 46-year-old has now led the Oilers to two straight Stanley Cup Final appearances and is looking to win it all this time around.
That playoff success has gotten Knoblauch into the NHL record books with his 27 playoff wins being the most by any coach during the first two seasons on the job.
Kris Knoblauch has had a HISTORIC start to his coaching career 🤯🔥 pic.twitter.com/4osFSNYWao
— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) May 30, 2025
Knoblauch has coached a total of 41 playoff games behind the Oilers’ bench, resulting in a sparkling record of 27-14. He has only lost one playoff series on the job, and that came in a gruelling seven-game Stanley Cup Final against the Florida Panthers last season. Otherwise, he has won the other six series that he’s appeared in.
He was quicker to 27 playoff wins than some other heavy-hitting names in NHL coaching circles, such as Jack Adams, Jon Cooper, John Tortorella, Al Arbour, Claude Julien, and even the legendary Scotty Bowman, who had 26 playoff wins through his first 50 postseason games coached.
For a coach with no prior NHL head coaching experience before being hired by Edmonton, Knoblauch has been nothing short of a revelation for the franchise. He did have a bit of time as an assistant with the Philadelphia Flyers and even held the mantle of an AHL head coach with the Hartford Wolfpack as well.
He was most well-known, however, for coaching Connor McDavid in the OHL with the Erie Otters.
If all goes according to plan, Knoblauch will have 31 playoff wins by the time this season ends.