NHL News: Amid Connor McDavid drama, Kris Knoblauch reminds Oilers' front office of his own situation

Training camp has begun, and Connor McDavid remains unsigned for the 2025-26 NHL season. It’s not panic mode yet for the Edmonton Oilers, but the anxiety is starting to creep in. To make an already complex year more critical, head coach Kris Knoblauch shed some light on his contract situation.

McDavid might have voiced comforting messages throughout the NHL offseason, but everybody knows actions speak louder than words. So far, an extension has yet to be agreed upon, and fans in Edmonton can’t see past that scary fact.

The odds of McDavid leaving are relatively low. It would take a complete trainwreck of a season in the Gateway to the North for the captain to ask out. Still, the chances are never zero—and as long as that’s the case, the Oilers won’t be sleeping peacefully at night. McDavid’s isn’t the only expiring contract in Edmonton, though. Knoblauch’s deal is also entering its final season, and he voiced a sincere message about his expectations.

“I’m in the last year of my contract, and hopefully we will get something done before we start [the season],” Kris Knoblauch commented during Edmonton’s media day, as reported by the Daily Faceoff’s Jason Gregor.

Head coach Kris Knoblauch of the Edmonton Oilers in Sunrise, Florida.

The Oilers will kickstart the 2025-26 NHL campaign on October 8 when the Calgary Flames pay them a visit. Talk about making a statement. The Battle of Alberta is one of the most electric matchups in the league, and the fireworks will be guaranteed.

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Tweaks

There is much that needs addressing within the Oilers. Goaltending, scoring depth, reliable defense in every pairing, you name it. However, Knoblauch has set his sight in another aspect of the game: special teams. Specifically, the penalty kill.

“The personnel will change with some new guys in here, but also our philosophy on how we kill is different. Preseason will be about finding which players fit best with our new strategy,” Knoblauch admitted about the PK units.

Struggles

Edmonton’s penalty killing was the third worst out of every team in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs. In the postseason, when each man-advantage means even more, the Oilers registered a 67.1% in the PK.

Of course, McDavid and company played more games than any other team except the Florida Panthers, which also affected their percentage. Still, considering the Cats finished with the league’s best mark at 86.4%, it’s no wonder Florida hoisted its second straight Stanley Cup.