Monday night's Stanley Cup Final rematch with the Florida Panthers didn't go as planned, as the Edmonton Oilers lost 6-5 in a thrilling encounter. However, the game still proved to be a significant moment for at least one person on the losing team.
We're referring to Kris Knoblauch, who reached 100 games in charge as head coach of the Oilers. The moment came effectively 13 months after he took over from Jay Woodcroft, who was fired after one of the worst starts to a season in franchise history.
To say Knoblauch has been a revelation since taking over, could be considered a major understatement. He helped the Oilers put together a 16-game winning streak which is the second-longest in league history, and took the team to within two goals of winning the Stanley Cup in his first season as an NHL head coach.
Most wins through 100 games with the Oilers
Even accounting for losing his 100th game in charge of the Oilers, Knoblauch's 64-29-7 record is the best record through 100 games by a head coach in team history. For some context, Woodcroft is second with 59 wins through 100 games, while Dave Tippett is third with 55.
It's important to mention Woodcroft and Tippett as a potential warning to Knoblauch, just with how things went from good to bad so quickly for both former Oilers head coaches. Each was fired in their third season in charge, with Woodcroft in particular only lasting another 33 regular season games in Edmonton after reaching the 100-game milestone.
While nothing can be taken for granted/assumed, we feel confident in predicting that Knoblauch will last longer than his two predecessors. And not just because he was Jeff Jackson's pick to take over as head coach, combined with his long-standing history and relationship with McDavid.
A lot of reasons for optimism in Edmonton
There is plenty to be encouraged by with Knoblauch, who is cerebral, meticulous and extremely calm in his approach as an NHL head coach, which are all important attributes to possess. Plus, it's worth pointing out that he has already enjoyed more playoff success in Edmonton compared to Woodcroft and Tippett.
Further, Knoblauch's standing in the NHL as a whole is also extremely impressive. His 64 wins through 100 games are the fifth-most in NHL history by a head coach, while his .675 winning percentage is second-best all time at the same point.
Whether Knoblauch sticks around long enough to get even close to Glen Sather's franchise-leading 464 wins or 842 games coached, remains to be seen. (And probably unlikely.) In any event, he has an excellent chance to become just the third head coach in team history to win a Stanley Cup, which would of course leave an indelible mark on the franchise no matter how long he sticks around in Edmonton.