Edmonton Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch hopes that familiarity breeds a championship.
Knoblauch guided Edmonton to a second straight trip to the Stanley Cup Final this spring. The Oilers came up one win short last year, losing to the Florida Panthers in seven games. They’ll try to avenge that loss when their rematch with the Panthers begins Wednesday night at Rogers Place.
The second-year coach feels his team is a lot more comfortable this time around.
“I don’t know how much different it is from last year. Maybe just the fact that we’re more familiar with it,” Knoblauch said at Media Day on Tuesday. “We know the routine, we know the opponents. There were a lot of unknowns last year. Now that we’ve been here, we’re just a little more, I don’t know if I would say comfortable, but we just know what the routine is.
The Oilers lost the first three games last spring, then won the next three before losing 2-1 on the road in Game 7. This season, Edmonton finished third in the Pacific Division during the regular season and dropped its first two games against the Los Angeles Kings in the opening round of the playoffs. But the Oilers are 12-2 since then. Including a five-game blitz of the Dallas Stars in the Western Conference Final.
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Most of last year’s cast is back, but Knoblauch said being more familiar with everything that goes in during the Final will be a big help to his team.
“Do we feel we’re a bit stronger, a little more confident? Yeah, maybe,” Knoblauch said. “But we also know the other team’s probably stronger than they were last year, as well, so we’re going to have to play our best to give ourselves an opportunity.”
Knoblauch said being more accustomed to all the activities that surround the Final should be helpful the second time around.
“I think it’s just more that we’re familiar with what today’s like and what the travel is like, and what it’s going to be like going back and forth,” he said of the difference in being prepared this year. “That’s about it.”
Stan Bowman, who’s in his first season as general manager in Edmonton, said he’s been impressed with his second-year coach’s performance.
“I was watching from afar last year and I was impressed with Kris, just his knowledge of the game and the way he explained things,” said Bowman, the architect of the Chicago Blackhawks’ three Stanley Cup-winning teams from 2010-15 who was hired last July as the Oilers’ GM and executive vice president of hockey operations. “Then I got a chance to meet him when I got here, and I was incredibly impressed with his job as coach.
“I don’t think he gets enough recognition for the way he’s managed this group through this season. It’s been a challenging year at time with injuries, and Kris has been able to manage the group and keep things on track all year long. I think we see the game the same way. He’s a really smart guy, and he always comes up with a game play to prepare our team. I don’t think we’d be here this year if it wasn’t for the job Kris and his staff has done.”
Knoblauch said one big task for the Oilers this time around will be dealing with the Panthers’ in-your-face style of play – but feels his players will be more accustomed to Florida’s physical play this year.
“We’ve got our share of players who like that physicality too,” he said. “I certainly don’t think we’re shy from that style of play, even last year. I think our team’s made up a little bit differently than last year, but probably the best way to counter that (physical style of play) is just moving the puck well.
“I think it’s important that we’re moving the puck quickly but precisely. If you’re sloppy with the puck, you’re probably chasing the game for most of it. They’re a good forechecking team, they finish their checks regularly and we expect to be hit – but we’re not a team that shies away from that.”
Facing the Vegas Golden Knights in the second round, a series the Oilers won in five games, was a good tune-up for facing the physical Panthers, according to Knoblauch.
“Vegas is a big, strong team that relies on its forecheck,” the coach said. “They’re a little more of a rush team than Florida, but they were good forecheckers. My best way to beat that is good puck movers. There’s one thing in having a defenseman to be able to just get (the puck) out of the zone, but if we’re continually just getting it out of the zone, we’re giving the puck back and then we have to defend.
“Our strength is (Connor) McDavid, Leon (Draisaitl) – our identity is being a good puck-moving team.”
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