Oilers Turn to Wolf Pack for New Head Coach

HARTFORD, Conn. – After firing head coach Jay Woodcroft for a 3-9-1 start to the season, the Edmonton Oilers agreed to terms for a three-year contract with now former Hartford Wolf Pack Head Coach Kris Knoblauch to become the 18th head coach in franchise history.

Knoblauch, 45, posted a 119-90-18-1 record in 241 games across four seasons and change for the Wolf Pack. Under his leadership, Hartford made a strong playoff push last season, besting the Springfield Thunderbirds and Providence Bruins. It was the Wolf Pack’s deepest postseason run since 2014-15.

Knoblauch returns to the NHL for the first time since serving as an assistant coach with the Philadelphia Flyers under head coach Dave Hakstol from 2017-2019. Knoblauch will also be reunited with a familiar face in Connor McDavid, who he coached in his three seasons with the OHL’s Erie Otters from 2012-2015.

Also on that team were current Oiler Connor Brown and current NHL players Alex DeBrincat, Dylan Strome, and Eric Cernak. Knoblauch would lead the Otters to an OHL championship victory during the 2016-2017 season.

With his recent success, Knoblauch has the potential to be a strong hire for the Oilers. Combining last season’s playoff run with a 7-3-2 start to this season, Hartford currently sits second in the Atlantic Division and fifth in the AHL,

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Hartford announced assistant coach Steve Smith will serve as interim head coach. The Wolf Pack have yet to issue any further statements on the time table for hiring a new head coach. Smith, 60, is in his third season with the Wolf Pack and previously served as interim head coach for two games during the 2021-22 season while Knoblauch was on assignment with the Rangers.

Smith served as an assistant coach for the Calgary Flames, Carolina Hurricanes, Edmonton Oilers, and (most recently) the Buffalo Sabres from 2018-2021. He also played over 800 NHL games, tallying 379 points and winning three Stanley Cups with Edmonton during the 1980s.

Smith has seen plenty of success throughout his career. His familiarity with the club — along with his previous coaching experience — could prove to be successful for the Wolf Pack in the long term.