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Jeff Skinner, Edmonton Oilers (Photo by Andy Devlin/NHLI via Getty Images)

Oilers’ Coach Kris Knoblauch Needs to Make Better Decisions

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers | By Matt Parks | Last updated Feb 27, 2025 9:55 AM ET

For the first time since Kris Knoblauch took over as head coach in November 2023, the Edmonton Oilers have lost four straight games. They’ve returned from the break and looked like a completely different team. They look lost, unmotivated, lazy, and slow. They’ve lacked effort and there’s no sense of urgency. This team doesn’t look like a Stanley Cup contender. Every facet of their game is lacking, including the penalty kill, goaltending, team defence, secondary scoring, and coaching. Turnovers are also a major concern and often result in goals because their goaltenders aren’t making the big save at crucial moments.

The whole team has struggled, including the coaching staff. Coach Knoblauch has made some questionable decisions recently, which hasn’t helped matters. He needs to make better decisions and help Edmonton get out of this funk. Here are some examples of his questionable choices.

Kris Knoblauch’s Constant Line Juggling

It’s hard to build chemistry when the lines are always changing. After Edmonton was hammered 6-3 by the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday (Feb. 22), the lineup was tossed in the blender for the next game. Connor McDavid was playing with Kasperi Kapanen and Vasily Podkolzin, Leon Draisaitl was with Matt Savoie and Corey Perry, Ryan Nugent Hopkins was with Zach Hyman and Viktor Arvidsson, and Adam Henrique was with Connor Brown and Jeff Skinner. All four lines were different, and the chemistry was disrupted. The coach needs some stability with the lines and trust that his players will respond positively. He’s too quick to change things up when something goes wrong, but sometimes players should play through it and develop that chemistry naturally.

Kris Knoblauch’s Handling of Jeff Skinner

Jeff Skinner has been in Knoblauch’s dog house all season, and his bias against the 32-year-old winger is evident. While he has defensive deficiencies, he can score, which is severely lacking in the bottom six. He has 11 goals in 51 games, which ranks sixth on the team. He scored against the Washington Capitals on Sunday (Feb. 23) but was healthy-scratched the next game. Meanwhile, Janmark only has two goals in 57 games (one in an empty net), but has only been scratched once. Henrique, Kapanen, and Podkolzin have all produced less while being given more opportunities, but somehow Skinner is the odd man out. Depth scoring is an issue, so this team can use Skinner in the lineup.

Skinner has not been put into positions to succeed. He doesn’t have the style of a fourth-line player, so it’s not surprising that he’s struggled. Despite that, he’s still somewhat productive in his limited time. The coaching staff has completely fumbled this situation, so why was he signed here in the first place? Was there no communication between the coaching staff and management? They surely reviewed the video and had a scouting report before bringing him in. Knoblauch should’ve voiced his concerns if he didn’t like the player, and maybe Edmonton could’ve used that money to re-sign their pending restricted free agents (RFAs) before the offer sheet debacle. This entire situation and the handling of Skinner have been atrocious, and he has every reason to be upset.

Kris Knoblauch Overplays Veterans

Knoblauch tends to play his aging veterans more than he should, especially considering they aren’t very productive. In their recent 4-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning, McDavid and Draisaitl were put on the same line alongside Perry. While the 39-year-old veteran is having a solid season in the bottom six, he’s not a top-six player anymore, and shouldn’t be given those extra minutes, especially with the two best players. He can’t keep up, so that spot would have been better suited for youngster Matt Savoie.

Savoie is smart and quick, and he gets to dangerous areas on the ice, which is crucial when playing with elite skill. It’s important to put young players in positions to succeed, so the 21-year-old rookie will benefit from the extra ice time if given that opportunity.

The Oilers can’t make the same mistakes they made with Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway. They lost both players to the St. Louis Blues via offer sheets because they undervalued, and underutilized them. They weren’t getting enough ice time and weren’t properly developed. Now, Holloway is thriving with his new organization. He has 17 goals and 42 points in 59 games with the Blues, averaging 16:36 a game. In his first season in Edmonton, he only averaged 9:35, and last season he averaged 11:22. His ice time is way up, and he’s producing accordingly. Knoblauch needs to let his young players play. They will make mistakes, but it’s important to trust them and let them learn on the fly. You can’t just stick with the familiar veterans, because that strategy isn’t working.

What do you think of Knoblauch’s decision-making? Keep following The Hockey Writers for all your NHL news and rumours as we approach the trade deadline and head down the stretch.