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Former Oilers Head Coach Lands New NHL Coaching Job

Originally posted on Hockey Latest | By Daniel Lucente | Last updated Jun 26, 2025 12:05 PM ET

Former Oilers head coach Jay Woodcroft is going to be joining a new team, as he will assume the role of assistant coach under Joel Quenneville's Anaheim Ducks.

Jay Woodcroft will be back in the NHL for the 2025-26 season, albeit as an assistant coach.

According to Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli, the former bench coach of the Edmonton Oilers will be taking his talents to the Anaheim Ducks bench to assist Joel Quenneville.

'Sources say former Oilers head coach Jay Woodcroft will be joining Joel Quenneville's staff as an assistant with NHLDucks.'
- Frank Seravalli

The transaction will become official on July 1, the date when Woodcroft's Edmonton contract ends.

Woodcroft was an emerging coach in the Oilers organization for several years. Following a solid stint as an assistant in Edmonton and the AHL's Bakersfield Condors' head man, he was finally given his NHL head-coaching opportunity in 2022.

He took over mid-season and led the Oilers to the Western Conference Final and nearly did it again the following year.

Woodcroft was let go after the Oilers lost 10 of their first 13 games two seasons ago

It all fell apart in 2023-24, though. The Oilers, who had started the year as favourites to win the Cup, began 3-9-1, and Woodcroft was let go in favour of Kris Knoblauch.

He hasn't coached since but was thought to be biding his time for another head coaching opportunity. Woodcroft is heading to a Ducks team that gained 21 standings points in the previous season.

If Anaheim continues on its current trajectory, this could be the launching pad to his second NHL head-coaching job down the road.

This article first appeared on Hockey Latest and was syndicated with permission.

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