The Edmonton Oilers team recently shared news about a big change in their coaching staff, and players are starting to share their true feelings about it.
With Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl back in Edmonton after the Olympic break, excitement for the playoffs is picking up again in northern Alberta.
The trading deadline is coming up fast, and while the Oilers are expected to make some moves, they have already made an important change in their coaching team.
They have brought back Hall of Fame defenseman Paul Coffey to help lead the defense.
Today, players began to express their real thoughts about Coffey joining the team again.
Reactions from the Oilers locker room about Paul Coffey’s hiring
The NHL superstar previously worked with the Oilers as an assistant coach during the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons.
Kris Knoblauch spoke about the great connection he had with Coffey during their time together when asked for his thoughts on Coffey’s return:
“I believe he has a lot to contribute to our team, and right now, we could use a spark, something to change our team’s recent path.
I really respect Paul. I didn’t know him before we worked together, but I enjoyed collaborating with him, and I think that together with our old coaching staff, we really helped the players improve. With him back, he will give us that boost and bring some new ideas. ”
The players are not avoiding the pressure that comes with having a legendary figure coaching them.
Jake Walman spoke about feeling that pressure and how it influences the team to have such an important person in that coaching role.
No matter who is coaching the defense, we must take responsibility ourselves. We can all improve to reach that championship standard. We need to give more effort ourselves before expecting anything else.
Paul Coffey is a well-respected person in the coaching role. When he walks in, you can feel his presence. This will be a new experience, and we are excited about it.
Evan Bouchard, who is frequently compared to Coffey for his scoring skills, mentioned how helpful it is to have someone we know around.
We know that we need to improve in the second half of the season, so making some changes could help us out. I believe this is important for everyone. He has been here for a long time and knows the team well, so it’s better to add him instead of someone who doesn’t know the players.
The @EdmontonOilers defensemen are happy to have franchise legend Paul Coffey behind the bench. 💪
Watch the Oilers vs. @LAKings TONIGHT at 10:30p ET on @espn!
Read more on Coffey’s impact ⤵️https://t.co/mXCQ4Wj6Xn
— NHL Media (@NHLMedia) February 26, 2026
Mattias Ekholm perfectly described how everyone feels, mentioning Coffey’s special insight.
“It’s a boost of excitement. He is clearly a great communicator, and his experience shows how skilled he is, so we are really happy to have him back. I believe he adds a lot from the sidelines, and as a good communicator, he understands the game in a unique way that not many others can, which is very valuable. ”
The Oilers will have the opportunity to help Coffey earn his first win of the season tonight against Artemi Panarin and the Los Angeles Kings.
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