Who will coach the Edmonton Oilers in 2026-27?
Will it be the big name on just about everyone’s lips?
Or will that horse even be allowed to run, instead allowing a dark horse to come up the middle and win the stakes instead?
That and more in this edition of…
9 Things
9. It is an unavoidable negative that the Edmonton Oilers will soon have their tenth head coach in fifteen years. Especially when you consider they have been to the Stanley Cup Finals in two of the last three years. Time to get it right.
8. There is a thought Bruce Cassidy may be well equipped to unlock Trent Frederic. No doubt Cassidy knows the winger, having coached him in Boston. But Frederic’s best years as a Bruin came with Jim Montgomery: More ice time, and Frederic’s 17 and 18-goal seasons.
7. As I watched Buffalo’s goaltending implode early on against the Canadiens on Saturday night, and then the Montreal goaltending doing pretty much the same, it reminds that goaltending wins championship. Will the Oilers will choose to rehabilitate Tristan Jarry, go big game hunting…or both?
6. I still see Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Zach Hyman as key cogs in the Oilers attack in the coming season. But with The Nuge at 33 and Hyman soon to be 34, it is important to have their eventual replacements matriculating somewhere in the organization…if not having NHL roster spots for them in 2026-27.
5. No, I do not think the Edmonton Oilers should lean heavily into the 2026 UFA market to solve all its problems. But if they can find a meaningful contributor with very little term, though, it is worth exploring because you would not have to give up an asset. It would be “just money”.
4. When it comes to the Oilers own UFA’s, I’ve made it clear that I would automatically have Connor Murphy #1 on my return list. And for the right price and (especially) term, Jason Dickinson is a solid 3C option. You spent assets to get both. Kasperi Kapanen fits but they cannot overpay. I’d consider Max Jones at the minimum. Connor Ingram I see as as a really good #2. I think the club prioritizes a “real” number one over him.
3. Going into the World Hockey Champions I thought the opportunity to play for their country internationally would be a very useful release for both Evan Bouchard and Darnell Nurse after a disappointing 2025-26 in Edmonton. So far, Nurse has three assists in two games. Evan Bouchard led Canada in TOI in Game 1 and scored a Power Play goal on a Howitzer of a shot in Game 2. So far. So good.
2. Since this is my first 9 Things at The Cult of Hockey since the departure of Kris Knoblauch, I will opine on his fate before moving on to possible replacements. I respect Knoblauch. He is a smart guy whom I believe will coach in this league again. His voice clearly resonated in two previous playoff runs. But in the end, my assessment is that Knoblauch did not have as many critical things figured out about this roster or this league as he may have thought. He didn’t know what he didn’t know. And that stubbornness ultimately got him fired.
1.The Bruce Cassidy option to replace Knoblauch in Edmonton is a fascinating one behind the bench. The biggest knock is that Cassidy’s act tends to wear off after a while. He is a bit of a disciplinarian. That is not really a major concern for the Oilers who are in win-now mode anyway, and the clock at least figuratively ticking on Connor McDavid. Cassidy has a Stanley Cup pedigree, and track record of getting the most out of high-end players. I see the McDavid’s, Draisaitl’s and Bouchard’s more than willing to listen to an experienced voice. Historically, Cassidy teams have good Power Plays and of course his ability to coach really good team defence stands out. He really does tick a lot of boxes.
Cassidy is not the only potential candidate out there. Edmonton would do well to shop around and fish from a deep pool. Dean Evason is one person I would check in on, a rock-solid guy. Craig Berube is from Alberta and has a cup, but is not a perfect fit in other ways. Gerard Gallant and Peter Laviolette are legit big-league coaches but not sure they’d be right here. Former Oilers interim Todd Nelson coach and David Carle of NCAA are intriguing, but I think a proven winner is a requirement.
Having shuffled through those names and more, if he is available Cassidy would still be #1 on my list. I also like that he was on the Team Canada coaching staff with McDavid at The Olympics, where Connor clearly felt good about the coaching experience.
Stan Bowman does not have a lot of time to get this big job done. I believe it is critical to have a man in place before the draft (where deals are often hatched) and certainly well before free agency.
You need to know your coaches’ approach before you go out and get him the pieces he needs to turn this ship around.
This article is not AI generated.
Leavins Cult of Hockey
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Bruce McCurdy, 1955-2025.
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