HARTFORD, CT – Following the firing of head coach Jay Woodcroft following a 3-9-1 start to the season, the Edmonton Oilers agreed to terms on a three-year contract with now-former Hartford Wolf Pack Head Coach Kris Knoblauch to become the franchise’s 18th head coach.
Knoblauch, 45, led the Wolf Pack to a 119-90-18-1 record in 241 games over four seasons and change. Last season, Hartford made a strong playoff push under his leadership, defeating the Springfield Thunderbirds and the Providence Bruins. The Wolf Pack’s postseason run was their longest since 2014-15.
Knoblauch is making his NHL debut after serving as an assistant coach with the Philadelphia Flyers under head coach Dave Hakstol from 2017 to 2019. Knoblauch will also be reunited with Connor McDavid, whom he coached during his three seasons as head coach of the OHL’s Erie Otters from 2012 to 2015.
Current Oiler Connor Brown was also on that team, as were current NHL players Alex DeBrincat, Dylan Strome, and Eric Cernak. During the 2016-2017 season, Knoblauch led the Otters to the OHL championship.
Knoblauch, with his recent success, has the potential to be a strong hire for the Oilers. With a 7-3-2 start to the season and a playoff run from last season, Hartford is currently second in the Atlantic Division and fifth in the AHL.
Hartford has named assistant coach Steve Smith as interim head coach. The Wolf Pack have yet to make any additional statements regarding the timeline for hiring a new head coach. Smith, 60, is in his third season with the Wolf Pack after serving as interim head coach for two games during the 2021-22 season while Knoblauch was assigned to the Rangers.
From 2018 to 2021, Smith worked as an assistant coach for the Calgary Flames, Carolina Hurricanes, Edmonton Oilers, and (most recently) the Buffalo Sabres. In addition, he appeared in over 800 NHL games, scoring 379 points and winning three Stanley Cups with Edmonton in the 1980s.
Smith has had a lot of success in his career. His familiarity with the club, combined with his previous coaching experience, could bode well for the Wolf Pack in the long run.
