Knoblauch receives workmanlike performance in debut as Oilers coach

EDMONTON -- The Edmonton Oilers had a surprise for Kris Knoblauch following his first win as an NHL head coach Monday.

“After the game they did something really special -- they had a video on the TV, they presented the puck and they had my wife on the TV, just saying a few words, and that was very nice of them to do,” Knoblauch said after a 4-1 victory against the New York Islanders at Rogers Place. “Usually I go in [the dressing room] after a win and say a few words, and I walk right out and they said, ‘No, you’re not going anywhere,’ and they presented me the puck.

“I was in the middle of the room, and they turned me around and I saw my wife on the screen. My kids weren’t there, they were already in bed, it’s a two-hour (time) difference, and they just arranged it with three minutes left in the game and made it work.”

Knoblauch’s wife, Autumn, and children are back in Hartford, Connecticut, where he coached the New York Rangers’ American Hockey League affiliate before being hired by the Oilers.

On Monday morning, Knoblauch’s voice cracked while talking about the people who helped reach the NHL as a coach, a career that began as an assistant with Prince Albert of the Western Hockey League in 2006-07.

“First, it’s my wife,” Knoblauch said. “I’m just a little emotional leaving my family to get here and being here.”

Knoblauch replaced Jay Woodcroft on Sunday and met his players in person for the first time Monday. He saw one familiar face; Knoblauch coached Edmonton captain Connor McDavid when the two were together at Erie of the Ontario Hockey League from 2012-15.

The Oilers’ new coach received a patient, workmanlike performance against the Islanders. He also got a good goaltending performance from Stuart Skinner, who made 32 saves. Edmonton limited the defensive mistakes and scored two timely power-play goals in the third period to break 1-1 tie, which have all been issues this season. It ultimately led to Woodcroft’s dismissal, along with assistant Dave Manson, who was replaced by Hall of Fame defenseman Paul Coffey.

McDavid scored for the first time since Oct. 17, ending an eight-game drought, and Leon Draisaitl had a goal and three assists.

“It feels amazing to get that first win; being a head coach was a highlight, just being here, and obviously it gets much better when you win,” Knoblauch said. “I liked how our team played. It wasn’t a perfect game; certainly we weren’t the better team in the first half of the game.

“I liked how we stayed patient. We stayed the course, and we didn’t [take] any unnecessary risks. There are definitely things we need to tighten up and play better at, but the most important thing is we didn’t get desperate when things weren’t going well and we didn’t try low-percentage plays.”

The win was Edmonton’s second straight and first at Rogers Place this season. The Oilers’ (4-9-1) previous home win was at the 2023 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic at Commonwealth Stadium on Oct. 29, 5-2 against the Calgary Flames.

Knoblauch, 45, was in his fifth season with Hartford when he received a call following Edmonton’s 3-2 loss at the San Jose Sharks on Thursday.

“It’s obviously exciting for [Knoblauch]. First win in the NHL," McDavid said. "It’s been a long road for him. It is well-deserved.

“It’s been a crazy couple days, a crazy 48 hours. It’s unfortunately something we have gone through before and we have responded the same way. It was everything that we have kind of been missing. Special teams were good and we got some third period offense. We have been missing that. I thought [Skinner] played really well and was there when we needed him."

Going into the season, Edmonton was expected to be Stanley Cup contenders with its core returning from last season. Things started poorly with an 8-1 loss at the Vancouver Canucks in the season opener, and the Oilers had been unable to gain any traction since.

The loss to San Jose, last in the overall NHL standings (2-12-1), was the final straw for Woodcroft and Manson. They were behind the bench for a 4-1 win at the Seattle Kraken on Saturday but were fired the next morning.

“I thought he (Knoblauch) was calm; he came in and was his calm self and didn’t give us too much (instruction),” McDavid said. “It was kind of like, ‘Guys, go out and play. We will work through the details of his system as we go.’ Obviously, you can’t do it all in one morning skate. I thought he did a great job under the circumstances.”