The Edmonton Oilers are in the market for their 10th head coach in 15 years after firing Kris Knoblauch on Thursday, a tenure that ended after a pair of Stanley Cup Final appearances — and with a three-year contract extension that doesn’t officially begin until July.

The next person behind Edmonton’s bench will be the sixth coach brought on since Connor McDavid joined the Oilers in as the No. 1 overall pick in 2015 and the eighth for Leon Draisaitl, selected third overall in 2014.

Executive vice president of hockey operations and general manager Stan Bowman, who has been in the Oilers’ front office since 2024, acknowledged on Thursday the high rate of turnover but said he felt another change was needed after Edmonton bowed out of the playoffs in a first-round loss to Anaheim following back-to-back runs to the Final in 2024 and 2025.

Bowman didn’t lay all the blame for Edmonton’s failings on Knoblauch while also insisting he wouldn’t be leaning on McDavid and Draisaitl, who both dealt with injuries late in the season, to help choose a fresh voice to get the Oilers back on track.

“We will have conversations [with them] as we go through it, but like, they’re not going to be in on the interviews or anything like that,” Bowman said. “They’re in a different category than just a regular player; they’re elite players that know this team, know their game. But they’re not choosing coaches. No. 1, they don’t want to do that. There’s a lot of elements they’re just not privy to, and they don’t want the pressure of choosing a coach.”

McDavid’s new two-year deal begins in July, adding some urgency to the win-now mentality if the Oilers intend to retain their captain long term.

Both McDavid and Draisaitl expressed concerns after the Oilers’ short postseason about the organization potentially going off course. Edmonton could not establish any momentum this season, with poor goaltending and leaky defense among the structural issues that plagued the team.

“I am concerned because we’re not trending in the right direction,” Draisaitl said. “We’ve taken big steps backwards and have to get a grip of this and head back in the right direction.”

Added McDavid: “[When you’re] an average team with high expectations, you’re going to be disappointed. We just never found it.”

Bowman is looking for a coach who can bring out the best in Edmonton while the team still has one of the best players in the world on its roster.

First though, Bowman defended his process, specifically against reports that he reached out to the Vegas Golden Knights for permission to interview Bruce Cassidy, who was fired in March, prior to letting Knoblauch go.

“I’m not going to comment on media [rumors] about other candidates,” Bowman said. “That’s not appropriate to be doing. I think what I can say is I didn’t rush through this [decision]. We did an analysis, and we didn’t make our decision until very recently.”

It took time, Bowman said, to deliver the news to Knoblauch in person, something the executive felt was an important sign of respect. Bowman conducted a “thorough review” of the organization, talking to players and front office personnel and examining the underlying numbers. The Oilers finished 14th overall with a 41-30-11 record, with the league’s sixth-best offense (3.44 goals per game) and the NHL’s reigning Art Ross Trophy winner in McDavid on the strength of a 138-point campaign. Still, Bowman felt the only true consistency Edmonton showed across the board came from its power play (NHL-best 30.6%).

“They’re elite players that know this team, know their game. But they’re not choosing coaches. No. 1, they don’t want to do that. There’s a lot of elements they’re just not privy to, and they don’t want the pressure of choosing a coach.”

Oilers GM Stan Bowman, on Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl

What Bowman has to find is a coach who can emphasize the talent Edmonton already has in its ranks and get the team aligned with a vision that leads back toward success.

The incoming coach will decide the fate of Edmonton’s remaining assistants; Mark Stuart was fired along with Knoblauch. When that hire is made, it puts attention on the Oilers’ players to respond. Given the revolving door in Edmonton — and without a championship to show for it — there are valid concerns about whether the ones on the ice should be bearing more responsibility for the club’s disappointment.

They will be able to answer that bell come October.

“There’s probably an element of accountability that’s always good, like self-accountability,” Bowman said. “My experience talking to those [top] players, they recognize that when you don’t reach your desired goals, that you do have to find a way to be better. I think there was frustration this year. I don’t think anybody was walking out feeling great about where the team is.”