What ex-Edmonton Oilers coach Knoblauch is expected to do after getting fired
Ex-Edmonton Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch has a decision to make this summer.
After serving three seasons behind the Oilers bench and making it to two-straight Stanley Cup Finals, Knoblauch is suddenly out of the job. The 47-year-old was fired earlier this month after Edmonton failed to make it out of the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The firing came at a weird time for Knoblauch, whose three-year contract extension was set to kick in next season. This means that the ex-head coach will continue to receive a pay cheque from the Oilers for the next three years, unless he signs a more lucrative contract elsewhere.
This will give Knoblauch a lot of freedom to choose what he wants to do next. He could simply enjoy the payday without doing any work for the next three years, or he could jump back into the NHL coaching carousel and look for a new job.
According to TSN’s Ryan Rishaug, it sounds like Knoblauch will be taking his sweet time before getting back behind the bench.
“Lots of activity on the coaching front right now,” Rishaug wrote. “Kris Knoblauch would likely be a candidate for any of the current openings, but my sense is he will not step back behind an NHL bench right away or engage in the application process for some time.
“With family recently relocating to Edmonton and some breathing room with his three-year contract, I’d expect him to be out of the mix for the time being after a long couple of seasons.”
Lots of activity on the coaching front right now, and another opening in Vancouver as of today. Kris Knoblauch would likely be a candidate for any of the current openings but my sense is he will not step back behind an NHL bench right away or engage in the application processā¦
— Ryan Rishaug (@TSNRyanRishaug) May 20, 2026
Knoblauch is still owed a decent chunk of change from Edmonton, as his deal was worth a reported total of $7.5 to $8 million. That would give him an annual salary of around $2.5 million to work with. That would be more than enough money to live comfortably and not have to worry about the stresses of being an NHL coach.
You have to imagine, however, that it wouldn’t be difficult for the Saskatchewan native to find another head coaching job. Though this past season didn’t pan out like he wanted, Knoblauch has a sparkling resume and has more playoff success under his belt than a lot of veteran coaches already.
He seems to be a great candidate for any team looking for immediate results or even a rebuilding team that wants to take that next step. Knoblauch should be a hot commodity on the coaching market, but only if he wants to.
It makes sense that he’d want to settle down for a while with his family relocating to the Alberta capital. Nobody can blame Knoblauch for wanting a little bit of a break after three straight stressful seasons.
We’ll just have to wait and see where his next NHL job will be.