Kris Knoblauch, best known as Connor McDavid’s former junior coach, was hired to coach the Edmonton Oilers in November, when the team was near the bottom of the standings. Who could have predicted that six months later, he would lead Edmonton to the Western Conference Finals?
However, the Oilers’ head coach made numerous wise judgements and essential tweaks that helped seal the second-round series victory over the Vancouver Canucks, and the following are five key coaching moves that stood out above the rest.
Knoblauch’s Management of Skinner & Pickard Was on Point
Stuart Skinner faced difficulties, managing only a .880 save percentage, in his first-ever playoff run last year, and perhaps a downfall of former Oilers’ head coach Jay Woodcroft is that he continued to start him even though he was struggling. Consequently, Edmonton was beaten by the Vegas Golden Knights in the second round in six games.
Maybe Knoblauch learnt from Woodcroft’s misstep and he took a big gamble in the series versus the Canucks, when Skinner let in 12 goals in the first three games. As a result, the coach put his trust in 32-year-old backup Calvin Pickard to start Game 4, and the netminder stopped 19 of 21 shots as the Oilers clinched a 3-2 victory due to a late game-winner by Evan Bouchard. Knoblauch went with Pickard again in Game 5, and he was solid, giving them a puncher’s chance in the 3-2 defeat.
Before Game 6, there was a feeling from Oil Country, including this writer, that the Oilers should start Pickard once more, but again Knoblauch’s decision paid off. He reverted to his number one netminder in Skinner for Games 6 and 7, and the sophomore bounced back, as he’s previously done, posting a combined 1.50 GAA in both games.
Overall, hats off to Knoblauch for making the gutsy goalie moves he made, which paid off. Looking ahead to the series against the Dallas Stars, it’s comforting to know that Pickard can step in and potentially provide reliable goaltending in case Skinner encounters difficulties once more.
Holloway Was Given a Chance to Prove Himself in Oilers’ Top Six
Dylan Holloway worked his way up in almost a month and a half from the AHL to the Oilers’ fourth line, where he scored two big goals against the Los Angeles Kings in the opening round.
Holloway scored a highlight reel goal against the Canucks in Game 6 and earned an assist on the opening Cody Ceci goal in Game 7. He’s showing much more patience with the puck and making excellent defensive plays, and the chemistry between him and Leon Draisaitl is increasing. This was evident when Holloway nearly buried a one-timer off a feed by his centerman, off the rush, in the second period of Game 7.
Ultimately, Holloway’s confidence is growing, and a part of that is likely due to the confidence that his coach has shown in him. Suppose the line heavy of Draisaitl, Holloway and Evander Kane continue to gel. In that case, their blend of physicality and scoring ability will make them a handful in the upcoming series against the Stars.
Replacing Corey Perry for Sam Carrick in the Lineup
Corey Perry will likely end up in the Hockey Hall of Fame someday. While he was effective for the Oilers down the playoff stretch, the speed and intensity of postseason play have increased, making the 39-year-old look a step behind.
Knoblauch made a tough decision to sit the former Hart Trophy winner, who had gone pointless in ten postseason games. Instead, he put in Sam Carrick, who hadn’t played since Game 3 of the opening round to center the fourth line for Game 6 against the Canucks.
Knoblauch’s Timely Time Out in Game 7
The Oilers were leading 3-0 in Game 7, but the Canucks made things interesting by scoring two goals just a few minutes apart, narrowing the score to 3-2 with only a few minutes left in the third period. This energized the hometown crowd.
Once again, credit to Knoblauch for his quick thinking at that moment, calling a timeout to help settle down his bench. In contrast, previous Oilers’ coaches have often refrained from using timeouts, seemingly saving them as if they could be exchanged for banked vacation days.
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