Kris Knoblauch is poised and even-keeled behind the bench for the Edmonton Oilers, but is his personality rubbing off on his players a bit too much?
There’s a growing sentiment among some fans and analysts that the Edmonton Oilers have begun to mirror coach Kris Knoblauch’s famously calm, even-keeled, rarely emotional personality.
Many aren’t sure if this is a good thing.
Often described as stoic or understated, one of the attributes Knoblauch has been praised for over the past couple of seasons is that he’s cool as a cucumber.
He never seems to get rattled or lose it on the bench. It’s been a solid character trait, given there have been plenty of instances over two runs to the Stanley Cup Final where emotions might have gotten the better of anyone.
However, there comes a time when a little emotion is warranted. The 4-0 loss to the Florida Panthers on Thursday would have been one of those occurrences.
Although Knoblauch’s ability to remain calm in pressure situations has its upsides, the downside is that when emotion is needed, it might not be there. As a professional hockey player in the NHL, that’s a detriment.
Players like Darnell Nurse have complemented the coach’s approachable, positive, and non-panic style. Ironically, it’s a player like Nurse, who is criticized more than most for not showing the emotional side of the game he once brought as a young defenseman. It was a key in Nurse’s game that seems all but coached out of him.
And Nurse isn’t the only player to take a little heat for a lack of passion this season.
On Thursday, after the Oilers came out flat against the team that twice denied them of a Stanley Cup, and had been trolled by the Panthers, specifically Matthew Tkachuk, there was little energy. Fans watched as a lifeless group that had an opportunity to exact a measure of revenge on home ice, only to wind up playing shinny.
As the 2025-26 season has progressed, it’s become clear the Oilers are missing a killer instinct. They’ve suffered brutal beatings at the hands of some of the top teams in the Western Conference, and with losses to rivals like the Panthers, the narrative has shifted, and questions about their compete level are everywhere.
The Oilers seem to play with little visible emotion, swagger, or fire, appearing flat, uninspired, and, more often than not, lacking urgency. Their “quiet, emotionless” demeanor resembles that of the man calling the shots.
One ‘X’ user post noted: “Teams adopt some of the personality of their coach. … They appear desperate for inspiration. Knoblauch is not the guy for this team. He’s got no fire.”
When asked if he felt the pride that was required against the Panthers was evident, Knoblauch responded:
“I don’t know. I don’t see that they didn’t show up and play tonight; we came out strong. In the first 10 minutes, I thought we had the majority of the play. ... I think we were flat, probably if we were flat, it was for the last 10 minutes of the third. That’s probably part of the game I didn’t like, but overall, you know, I would maybe criticize us, maybe not shooting the puck enough. I thought the effort was there, and we just couldn’t find a goal.”
This was not the response most members of the media and the fans were expecting. An emotional coach might have given it to the players for being so lifeless. A fiery coach might have used this as a platform to send a message. Not this coach.
The team’s overall record under him remains solid, so there’s only so much one can criticize about his approach. At the same time, if the players are taking on his style, that’s not necessarily his fault. They need to find it amongst themselves to fire up.
If this team can’t find another gear and the emotional level required to compete with the top teams and go on a run, it could be a short post-season run. It could also mean that a different voice behind the bench is required.
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