The Edmonton Oilers are looking for a new head coach after firing Kris Knoblauch. The two chose to part ways after a disappointing first-round playoff exit.

According to Heavy, the Oilers are now targeting Craig Berube after receiving permission to speak with the former Toronto Maple Leafs coach. The news emerged after their request to interview Bruce Cassidy was denied by the Vegas Golden Knights.

Edmonton’s coaching search is one of the NHL’s biggest offseason stories. The Oilers decided to move on from Knoblauch after a frustrating first-round playoff exit to the Anaheim Ducks. 

They had expressed an interest in Bruce Cassidy, who was fired by the Golden Knights in early March. However, he remains under contract with the team, which complicates proceedings.

Craig Berube has now emerged as one of the candidates for the position. He became one of the league’s most respected coaches after guiding the St. Louis Blues to the Stanley Cup in 2019.

Renowned as a demanding and fiery coach, he later spent two seasons coaching Toronto. An impressive first season was followed by a disappointing second campaign, as the Maple Leafs missed the playoffs for the first time since 2016.

The organization went on to dismiss Berube in early May. Despite these struggles, his no-nonsense approach may be what Edmonton has been searching for. 

Pressure Growing After Disappointing Season

The Oilers entered the 2025-26 season as one of the favorites to compete for the Stanley Cup. Their back-to-back Western Conference championships suggested another strong league season.

With stars like captain Connor McDavid and forward Leon Draisaitl leading the team, expectations were high.

However, Edmonton struggled with inconsistency throughout the year and finished with 93 points, a departure from their four straight 100-point seasons.

These setbacks became more apparent during the first-round series against Anaheim. Edmonton’s underwhelming performances became the major talking points as the Ducks marched to a 4-2 series win.

An abrupt playoff exit raised concerns. Knoblauch was subsequently fired, with team management deciding to move in a different direction.

General manager Stan Bowman provided his reasoning after announcing Knoblauch's dismissal.

“When we performed our analysis and our review about where we headed as a team, we just felt that we needed a different voice to lead us to where we want to get to,” he stated, as per CityNews.

The Oilers are now entering an important offseason with pressure mounting on the team. Their next coaching hire could dictate the squad's fortune over the next few years. 

Whether Berube arrives or not, the Oilers are clearly looking for a coach who can help push the team back into playoff contention and compete for the Stanley Cup.

Read more at NHL Fan Central!

Written by

Aadhya Nalla

Edited by

Sijo Paul