Oilers News & Rumours: Tortorella, McDavid Window, Next Steps for Knoblauch

The Edmonton Oilers lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Anaheim Ducks in what was a shocking upset, but now their focus has shifted to the offseason. They chose to fire Kris Knoblauch and Mark Stuart and have been looking for a new head coach, and tons of speculation has been surrounding the team for a little while.

In this edition of Oilers News and Rumours, we look at a potential connection for the Oilers to John Tortorella. Next, we will take a look at a statement from a trusted insider, Ryan Rishaug, talking about Connor McDavid’s window. Lastly, we quickly look at some reports surrounding the future of Kris Knoblauch.

Tortorella a Possibility for Oilers’ Coaching Job?

The Vegas Golden Knights just clinched a berth in the Stanley Cup Final under John Tortorella, who they hired after the shocking late season firing of Bruce Cassidy, but now he has been linked to the Oilers. In a recent episode of 32 Thoughts, Elliotte Friedman was spitballing, stating, “I was thinking if Vegas doesn’t keep John Tortorella, he might be a guy that fills kind of what [the Oilers] want.”

There is no guarantee that the Golden Knights keep Tortorella past this season, since there is no word on whether Tortorella wants to stick around and continue coaching. However, this run has given the Golden Knights’ front office something to think about, and if he wants to continue coaching, it’s hard to see him coaching anyone other than the Golden Knights.

However, Tortorella’s hard style and championship pedigree make him an attractive option for the Oilers, so if he hits the open market and isn’t going to return to the Golden Knights, it wouldn’t be surprising if the Oilers reached out.

McDavid’s Window Shorter Than Expected?

In a recent segment from Ryan Rishaug on TSN, it seems as though despite Connor McDavid’s two-year extension, that starts in the 2026-27 season, his window with the Oilers doesn’t last for the entire deal.

Rishaug stated: “I think the Connor McDavid window is one year, everybody talks about two years left on his deal, the inflection point is next summer.”

With this in mind, this offseason becomes the most important offseason for the Oilers ever. If they can’t find a way to surround McDavid with players who can help them win their first Stanley Cup since 1990, he could consider asking for a trade during the 2027-28 season.

Rishaug made it very clear that if McDavid doesn’t think he can win with the Oilers, he is gone.

Next Steps for Kris Knoblauch

Several reports have come out since Knoblauch was fired, with some believing he could be someone in the mix for the vacant Toronto Maple Leafs’ coaching job, but some reports claim he will take some personal time to himself before figuring out what his next steps are.

In the same segment on TSN, Rishaug brought up the extension that Knoblauch signed and how it provided stability for him, as well as how he moved his entire family to Edmonton. With that in mind, it makes sense for him to stay in Edmonton and take a season off before looking to put his name back in the mix for a new job.

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