Woodcroft has longer leash with Oilers due to past success: report

How much more rope does Edmonton Oilers head coach Jay Woodcroft have until he needs to search for a new job?

With the team in the midst of a crisis, starting the season 2-8-1, a lot of pressure has been put on Woodcroft to start steering the Oilers back into the win column. Of course, it hasn’t all been his fault, as the team has received below-average goaltending all season long. That is a problem for GM Ken Holland to fix, and reports suggest he’s trying.

That doesn’t excuse the team’s lack of execution in both the defensive zone and offensive zone. It’s been a mess for the Oilers and a lot of issues tend to fall onto the coach. Issues that Woodcroft is trying to solve with changes to the team’s forward lines.

Over the weekend, it was reported that the team was contemplating making a change behind the bench, but Elliotte Friedman offered a bit of a more hopeful take on Woodcroft’s immediate future in his latest 32 Thoughts column.

“I do think the Oilers recognize Jay Woodcroft’s .683 points percentage before this season,” wrote Friedman. “There are some good veterans available, but it’s not lost on the organization that Woodcroft’s winning percentage in Edmonton is among the best in franchise history.”

It’s true that the team has played excellently under Woodcroft for the majority of his tenure. Since being promoted in February 2022, the team has had a regular season record of 78-40-13 and has won three playoff rounds.

That is more success than any other coach has had with the team since Craig MacTavish helped the Oilers to the Stanley Cup Final in 2006. If the team decided to fire Woodcroft, it would be solely based on the first 11 games of the season, not anything prior.

“Every organization owes it to itself to consider all options and the preference is not to make a change,” wrote Friedman.

His reporting suggests that the team is trying to avoid hitting the panic button and wants to give Woodcroft the benefit of the doubt before making a move. That being said, there are a few attractive veteran coaches available to replace him.

Among the most interesting candidates would be Gerard Gallant, who previously coached the New York Rangers and helped the Vegas Golden Knights make it to the finals in their inaugural season.

Some other intriguing options out there include Claude Julien and, former Vancouver Canucks fan favourite, Bruce Boudreau.