Oilers Coach Admits That Changes Are Likely Over Olympic Break

Don’t expect the Edmonton Oilers to return on March 3rd with the same roster or setup as the team had on Wednesday night. Following the team’s third-straight loss, head coach Kris Knoblauch not only faced criticism from one of his best players but also spoke with the media about using the break to reassess and hold a mini training camp.

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“We need a little break right now. We can reset, we’ve got this time to refocus, and also, you know, make any adjustments that we might want to make. You know, coaches have a long time to look at, really evaluate what we want to do, and we’ve got a little mini train camp coming back, where we’ve got about a week to focus on things that we need to get better at or any changes that we need to make.”

“We’re not as good right now. We’re not even close… We need to understand that it’s time now, but when we come back, we’ve got to get going,” said a frustrated Leon Draisaitl after the loss. “We’ll take the break and regroup,” Draisaitl said. 

He knows this team needs change. “We’re not consistent enough, and this league’s too hard to just lollygag through games… You need everybody. It starts with the coaches. Everybody. You’re never going to win if you have four or five guys going, and it starts at the top.”

Could the Coaches Be on the Hot Seat?

Draisaitl calling out everyone, including the coaching staff, has to be a wake-up call for management.

Things like the penalty kill and the defensive structure have been awful for the Oilers of late. Knoblauch said it’s “going through a very cold stretch right now.” He added, “We got to be a little more cognitive about how we play.”

A lot of the criticism is coming because of the line deployment and the minutes going to the big guys, while a few Oilers in the bottom six are contributing. As much as that might be on the roster being weaker than in past seasons, Knoblauch should be looking in the mirror to see if he’s partly responsible for why only four or five guys are contributing.

Next: Tristan Jarry Changes Tune After Oilers’ 4–3 Loss to Flames