Kris Knoblauch is a free agent

All eyes are now on new general manager Ken Holland. One of his first priorities will be figuring out who will be behind the Oilers’ bench next season. Dustin Nielson already did a look at some of the possible fits for the gig, one of which was Connor McDavid’s former OHL coach Kris Knoblauch.

With the Flyers announcing their coaching changes today, Knoblauch is officially on the open market. Head coach Alain Vigneault hired two former NHL head coaches in Mike Yeo and Michel Therrien while also keeping Ian Laperriere behind the bench.

Knoblauch has been a popular choice for the Oilers’ head coaching gig because he fits that new-school style of a strong communicator. There’s also the important connection of him coaching McDavid in junior. While McDavid is obviously an incredible talent on his own, Knoblauch should be given some credit for helping McDavid develop through the OHL as a 15-year-old into an immediate superstar at the NHL level.

Knoblauch has a very strong resume coaching in Junior. He’s known mostly for his days with the Erie Otters, in which he put up four-straight seasons of 50 or more wins. He won an OHL Championship in 2016-17 with the Otters and he won a WHL Championship with the Kootenay Ice in 2010-11. Knoblauch also has a local connection to Edmonton, having coached the Edmonton Ice before they moved to Kootenay and playing five seasons with the University of Alberta Golden Bears in the early 2000s.