Hall of Famer Paul Coffey returns to the Oilers bench, bringing defensive expertise to rekindle their playoff aspirations.
The Edmonton Oilers have officially brought a familiar face back behind the bench.
On Wednesday, the Oilers confirmed that Hall of Fame defenseman Paul Coffey is rejoining the club’s coaching staff. His return follows weeks of speculation about potential changes as Edmonton navigates a challenging stretch heading into the Olympic break.
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In a statement released by the team, the Oilers noted that Coffey will step back into a bench role after previously serving as Special Advisor to Ownership and Hockey Operations. Coffey had originally moved into that advisory position last July, following a two-year run overseeing the Oilers’ defense corps.
Coffey first joined the bench on November 13, 2023, remaining in that role through the conclusion of the 2024-25 regular season. While the opportunity reportedly came as a favor to owner Darryl Katz and wasn’t initially something Coffey sought long-term, his impact was significant—particularly on the blue line.
During his time running the defense, Edmonton allowed just 2.78 goals per game, the fifth-best mark in the NHL over that span.
There was some chatter that Coffey and Head coach Kris Knoblauch might not mesh well, but Knoblauch expressed confidence in the move, noting that he has remained in consistent contact with Coffey since last summer and believes the timing is right for his return.
The Oilers Needed to Make Some Kind of Change
The Oilers are looking to sharpen their structure, lower the goals against, and bring some consistency ot their game down the stretch. Leon Draisaitl had recently called out everyone on the team, stating it "starts with the coaches". That likely woke up management to the idea that frustration was growing among the team. The defense played best under Coffey, and his experience and familiarity with the group are expected to help.
Paul Coffey is back with the Oilers as a coach. Photo by: © Bob Frid Imagn ImagesCoffey also shared his enthusiasm about rejoining the staff, pointing to the 24 games remaining on the schedule as an opportunity to build momentum and position the team for another deep playoff run.
The Oilers are slated to resume play next week in California following the Olympic break, and Coffey is expected to be back with the club on Friday as preparations ramp up.
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