New Oilers head coach faces huge challenge with Connor McDavid

Kris Knoblauch has taken over a new head coach of the Edmonton Oilers and while he did get a win in his first match, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman believes the former OHL, WHL and AHL head coach has a huge challenge on his shoulders with captain Connor McDavid.

During their 32 Thoughts podcast, host Jeff Marek explained how pissed off McDavid has been with his team’s start to the 2023-24 season.

“He is legitimately pissed off, he’s had it, and he’s like legit pissed.”

When Marek mentioned the captain’s feelings, Friedman explains how it has now become “one of the challenges for Knoblauch” to get McDavid out of that.

The good news for everyone in Edmonton is that Knoblauch was McDavid’s head coach during McDavid’s junior career with the OHL’s Erie Otters. This mean they already have an established relationship and the superstar has some history and a familiarity with him.

While McDavid did say earlier this week that he was shocked to see that Jay Woodcroft had been fired, it does not mean that he’s not looking forward to work under a new bench boss. Let’s hope that their past relationship is a good one and that Knoblauch can use all of what he knows about his captain to get him focused and poised moving forward.

In 12 games this season, McDavid has put up three goals and 12 points. While he is still averaging a point per game, fans and probably his teammates expected more from him. This, along with the Oilers’ record, has probably fuelled the captain’s frustrations and it will be up to him, and his new head coach, to get his emotions under control and his focus back performing on the ice.

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