Oilers coach addresses major mistake in Game 6, changes may come to staff
Photo credit: Imagn Images
Oilers coach Knoblauch is being called out for reuniting McDavid and Draisaitl too early in Game 6, and facing some questions about the future of some of the coaching staff.
Assistant coach Glenn Gulutzan is being targeted for head coaching jobs on other teams, and Coach Paul Coffey also took heat for the deployment of defence in the playoffs. On top of that, Knoblauch himself may want a change.
Oilers coach called out for reuniting McDavid and Draisaitl too early in Game 6
Too often in the Stanley Cup Final, Coach Knoblauch turned to deploying McDavid and Draisaitl together. In Game 6, the Oilers had a great start with the two separated, and killed the momentum after making the switch to unite them.
Coach Knoblauch even admitted that uniting McDavid and Draisaitl changed the trajectory of game 6 entirely.
I thought we were off to a great start, and it looked like, why would I change it? But games 3 through 5 were very dollar to that, and they started to take over in the second half of that period.
Right when we made the switch to put those two on that line together, which was the plan, we get scored against. And then once we were chasing it, we were fully committed to it.
- Coach Knoblauch
Right when we made the switch to put those two on that line together, which was the plan, we get scored against. And then once we were chasing it, we were fully committed to it.
- Coach Knoblauch
The Oilers refer to McDavid and Draisaitl together as the nuclear option, but the real difference maker could be having one of the two best players on the ice at almost all times, driving their own lines. So many Oilers coaches have been through this, and have paid the price for it.
Oilers analyst Bruce Curlock suggests changes could come to coaching staff
Oilers analyst Bruce Curlock relayed that Knoblauch could be a casualty as Bowman looks for his own head coach hire, but even if Knoblauch is brought back, it would be useful to fire the assistant coaches.
Knoblauch inherited the assistant coach staff from Jay Woodcroft, and added Paul Coffey courtesy of OEG.
It may be worth it to give Knoblauch full control of the bench by allowing him to hand-select a staff he trusts and meshes with philosophically, and where he has the final call every time. Especially, Dustin Schwartz could finally go.
Knoblauch has been a great coach with the Oilers, and deserves to return next season - but he's got to learn from the mistakes of this year, and make improvements.
| POLL | ||
JUIN 19 | 953 ANSWERS Oilers coach addresses major mistake in Game 6, changes may come to staff Do you think the Oilers should fire the assistant coaches? | ||
| Yes | 535 | 56.1 % |
| No | 418 | 43.9 % |
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