Oilers turn back to Paul Coffey for defensive push after Olympic break

The Edmonton Oilers will have a familiar face back behind the bench when the NHL season resumes next week.

Hall of Fame defenceman Paul Coffey has rejoined the coaching staff after the Olympic break. Head coach Kris Knoblauch spoke about the move following Wednesday’s practice.

"I think he can offer a lot to our group, and right now I think we need a little jolt, a little something to change the direction of where our team’s been going," Knoblauch said.

Coffey’s return improves the Oilers' staff group that has already seen success with him on the bench. From Nov. 13, 2023, through the end of the 2024-25 regular season, the Oilers allowed 2.78 goals per game, fifth best in the NHL over that span. That run helped the team reach the Stanley Cup Final - not once but twice.

"With him coming back, I think it’ll give us that jolt, and I think he’ll add some new perspectives," Knoblauch said. "I’ve been talking to Paul throughout the season, throughout the summer, and through stretches of good and bad throughout the year, and got his perspective on how he saw our team playing and what we need to improve on.

"I just think with where our team is at right now, we’re just kind of okay, and we feel that we need a little something to just push us over, give us a little something. I think Paul will add to that."

The Oilers' inconsistency this season

But despite making it to two straight Stanley Cup Finals in 2024 and 2025, the Oilers have not found Stanley Cup success. And after those runs, they again found themselves struggling this season, and are currently on a three game losing skid, entering the Olympic break in rough shape.

Knoblauch said he has stayed in contact with Coffey throughout the season and summer. He leaned on Coffey’s view of the team during good and bad stretches.

"I’ve got a lot of respect for Paul," Knoblauch said. "My time working with him, I didn’t know him before, but I liked working with him and thought between the two of us and this coaching staff that we’ve had in the past that we’ve got the most out of the guys."

Paul Coffey's connection to the Oilers

Coffey first joined the Oilers as a skills development coach in 2018. He later served as a special advisor to owner Daryl Katz and hockey operations. He moved behind the bench in 2023 after Knoblauch took over as head coach. He stepped away last July before being reappointed on Feb. 18 to help guide a playoff push.

Additionally, Coffey entered the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2004 in his first year of eligibility. The Oilers retired his No. 7 in 2005 and named him to their Hall of Fame in 2022.

The Oilers' made the Coffey move in urgency

The Oilers entered the Olympic break with a 28-22-8 record and were sitting second in the Pacific Division with 64 points. They were averaging 3.41 goals per game but giving up 3.29, a gap that has cost them in tight games.

So, this was something the management couldn't have overlooked. They had waited the whole first half of the season, but things hardly changed for the team. So they have welcomed Coffey with hope and urgency both.

They also need to improve their penalty kill, which ranks 26th at 76.9 percent.

Connor McDavid leads the attack with 34 goals and 96 points, and Leon Draisaitl, Evan Bouchard, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins are providing supporting offense. But, they will also need depth offense outside this group. Jack Roslovic has been a good signing, but they will need more. Part of that, as Draisaitl said before the Olympic break, is making changes to the coaches.

With 24 games left, Coffey has already put faith in the group, saying ", there is ample time to build on the many positives and build momentum for another long playoff run.".

So, in a matter of day, we will get to see how things have changed after Coffey's hiring.