Top 3 Oilers head coach replacements: Potential Kris Knoblauch successors if Edmonton decides to fire HC after rocky start ft. Paul MacFarland

The Edmonton Oilers sank to 10-10-5 following their Tuesday night rout against the Dallas Stars. The 8-3 defeat has shone the spotlight on the struggling Oilers.

The club hardly resembles the team that’s gone to back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals. While just two points out of a wildcard spot in the Western Conference, team management may contemplate firing head coach Kris Knoblauch to salvage the season.

It’s unclear whether Knoblauch has lost the room. But the product on the ice speaks for itself, particularly the lack of effort from the team’s top-six forward group.

With that in mind, here’s a look at three potential replacements for Knoblauch, should the Oilers choose to make an in-season firing.

Top 3 Oilers coaching replacements should team fire Kris Knoblauch

#1 Peter Laviolette

If the Edmonton Oilers are looking for an experienced coach to step in, Peter Laviolette would be the best candidate available right now. The former New York Rangers coach has nearly 1,600 games of NHL experience.

He last coached the Rangers, leading them to the Presidents’ Trophy during the 2023-24 season. However, an awful season last year prompted New York to send Laviolette packing. He’s available now and could be a solid fit.

While critics may point out that hiring Laviolette is just recycling another coach, the fact is that Edmonton wouldn’t have many choices for an in-season change.

#2 David Carle

David Carle has been one of the hottest names in NHL coaching circles. He’s currently the head coach at the University of Denver in the NCAA. He was a name frequently dropped this summer amid several coaching vacancies.

While Carle would have to leave the NCAA mid-season, the move could be just what the Oilers need to spark the turnaround they seek. Carle is a respected and accomplished coach seeking an opportunity to head into the pros.

Carle won a national championship in 2024, along with two Frozen Four appearances. Carle helped Denver win a 10th NCAA championship, a collegiate record. He’s also led his team to five straight NCAA tournament berths.

Carle would make a better offseason acquisition. And considering there’s no guarantee he could leave his current team during the season, a desperate Edmonton management team might be able to work something out.

#3 Paul McFarland

There are various candidates out there who could be a fantastic fit for the Oilers. The best name that comes to mind is Abbotsford Canucks head coach Manny Malhotra. He was the presumptive candidate to take over for Rick Tocchet after Tocchet left the Vancouver Canucks last offseason.

However, the Canucks passed on Malhotra and promoted assistant Adam Foote instead. As such, it would be nearly impossible to get Malhotra to dump Abbotsford midseason and join Edmonton. This move would be better served as an offseason deal, much like adding David Carle.

That’s why the best candidate for an in-season coaching change would be promoting assistant coach Paul MacFarland. He’s the most experienced assistant on the Oilers staff at the moment. He’s held various assistant positions, most notably with the Florida Panthers and Toronto Maple Leafs.

MacFarland could step into the role now and potentially do what Kris Knoblauch did a couple of seasons ago. However, there might be some trepidation on the team’s part. Promoting an assistant early in the season to lead a Stanley Cup contender may not sit well with fans and the media.

Still, Edmonton has few options beyond recycling an experienced coach. So, putting MacFarland at the helm could be the only realistic option for the Oilers at the moment.