A report suggests that Coach Knoblauch has the authority to stop Paul Coffey from coming back to the Oilers, but did he actually use that power?
This week, Nick Kypreos talked about Paul Coffey’s return to the Edmonton Oilers and thinks that Coach Kris Knoblauch is in a tough spot because of it. While on the Real Kyper & Bourne show on Sportsnet, Kypreos expressed confusion about the decision, even though Coffey could potentially improve Edmonton’s weak defense.
“I can’t imagine Knoblauch lasting in this job. You need to turn things around and make this a season where you aim for the Stanley Cup, or I just don’t see him sticking around. ” Interestingly, Jason Gregor from Sports 1440 mentioned, “Katz started the idea of Coffey coming back. But Knoblauch could have stopped it if he really wanted to. He believed Coffey would be helpful. ”
It puts Knoblauch in a tricky situation. If he didn’t want Coffey back, it wouldn’t be easy saying no when the owner wants him. You’d need quite a bit of courage to say, ‘Thanks, but no thanks. ‘ On the other hand, if Coffey joins and the team gets better, could that mean Knoblauch was the real issue?
Knoblauch Says He’s Okay With It… But Does It Even Count?
The Oilers officially announced on February 18, 2026, that Coffey, a Hall of Famer and former Oilers defenseman, is coming back to the coaching staff after taking a break in July 2025 to serve as a special advisor with owner Daryl Katz. About seven months later, as the Oilers were struggling with just 25 games left in the season, Coffey was brought back into a coaching role where he wasn’t expected to be.
Knoblauch publicly stated that he was fine with the decision, but what else could he really say? “I know the head coach and Coffey didn’t have the best relationship,” Gregor noted. “That doesn’t mean they dislike each other, but if they aren’t always on the same page, can you really bring that person back? ”
“They are not feeling good about this,” Tom Gazzola shared on Edmonton Sports Talk. “I discovered today that it’s not only the coaches who are upset. I will stop there. ” He mentioned that he feels very worried about how this organization is being managed, describing Katz’s choice to push for Knoblauch’s return as a very controlling action. This also indicates that there is a lack of trust in Knoblauch from those above him to handle this on his own.
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