On a recent show called Oilers Now, insider Bob Stauffer talked about Team Canada’s defensive coach, suggesting he might be a good fit for a job in Edmonton.
Oilers’ coaches get a lot of negative feedback
The coaching staff for Canada is solid. It’s interesting to see who handles the defense, right? He is a really good coach.
He has had a lot of success in the NHL but hasn’t been able to win the championship yet, right? Plus, he’s not signed to a team right now.
– Bob Stauffer
Just so you know, Canada’s defensive and assistant coach is Misha Donskov. He worked for two seasons with the Stars and spent parts of four seasons with the Vegas Golden Knights, where he won a Stanley Cup in 2023.
Of course, there’s no solid proof that the Oilers will switch up their coaching staff, even though it seems unlikely at this point in the season.
However, some believe a change could really help.
The team seems to be missing something. They feel kind of passive, and Kris, the coach, is very chill. That’s okay, but the team needs some energy. I notice that Kris doesn’t really reward players who bring that energy.
– Ryan Rishaug
When a head coach leads a team to the Stanley Cup Finals two years in a row, you really learn about what he can do, including what he’s good at and what he struggles with.
For Kris Knoblauch, he hasn’t shown his tough side or that fierce competitive spirit that’s important when it’s all on the line.
This season has been a bit too soft for Edmonton, lacking the toughness and physical style that makes it clear they won’t be pushed around.
Connor McDavid seems to have discovered that toughness at the Olympics, showing what the Oilers might be like if Kris Knoblauch brought some of that into his team.
Now, Mark Stuart has taken the job of defensive coach from Paul Coffey. He is also in charge of the penalty kill.
Sadly, both areas have not been doing well lately. At the very least, Edmonton will need to fix these issues before the playoffs start.
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