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Kris Knoblauch Lands on Insider’s Short List of Coaches on the Hot Seat

Originally posted on NHL Trade Talk | By Jackson Weber | Last updated Mar 18, 2026 1:07 PM ET

It’s safe to say a lot is riding on how the rest of the 2025–26 season goes for the Edmonton Oilers. A big win on Tuesday night propelled them into a tie with the Anaheim Ducks atop the Pacific Division, though with how tight the standings are, things can change in the blink of an eye—especially now without Leon Draisaitl.

Edmonton currently has an 87.9% chance of making the playoffs according to MoneyPuck; however, if they somehow wind up missing the postseason altogether or flame out in the early rounds, insider Frank Seravalli believes it could have consequences for HC Kris Knoblauch.

In a recent segment discussing coaches on the hot seat around the NHL, Seravalli included Knoblauch on his short list.

Seravalli said:

“Kris Knoblauch on that list as well as the Oilers. Look, if you’re a team that loses in the first round here, or God forbid, doesn’t make the playoffs, there will certainly be some changes there in Edmonton,”

Craig Berube, Sheldon Keefe, André Tourigny, D.J. Smith, and Scott Arniel were the other five coaches whose seats were said to be getting warm.

The 47-year-old Knoblauch has had a very successful run behind the Oilers bench, currently sporting a 128–73–19 regular-season record across 220 games, as well as a 29–18 playoff record, which of course includes back-to-back trips to the Stanley Cup Finals.

His three-year contract extension, signed to stay in Edmonton back in October, runs through the 2028–29 campaign.

While Knoblauch has taken this Connor McDavid- and Draisaitl-led Oilers team further than any of their four prior coaches, the 2025–26 season has been a bumpy road with plenty of criticism aimed at the bench boss.

His overusage of star players has drawn the ire of the fanbase at times, especially given they’ve played more hockey than just about anyone in recent years.

This could all be a moot point if Edmonton makes another deep run this season, which is very possible in a weak Pacific Division. That being said, this iteration of the Oilers hasn’t looked nearly as strong as the last two years, so the road back to the promised land won’t be easy.

This article first appeared on NHL Trade Talk and was syndicated with permission.

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