Öler understand that goalkeeper must be better this season

Edmonton – The Edmonton Oilers want a better goalkeeper this season, so you have made the change that you will help.

“There were times when [our goalies] Were extraordinary and there were other times in which we wanted a little more of them, ”said coach Kris Knoblauch.

Knoblauch spoke during a press conference to discuss the changes to his employees, including the attitude of Peter Aubry, to replace Dustin Schwartz, who had not renewed his contract after eleven seasons as a goalkeeper trainer with the Oilers.

Aubry was hired together with assistant Paul McFarland and Skills Coach Conor Allen on Friday. The defender of the Hockey Hall of Fame, Paul Coffey, who was assistant in the last two seasons, will return to his role as a special consultant for owners and hockey business. Glen Gulutzan, who was assistant to the Oilers in the last seven seasons, was hired on July 1 as the coach of the Dallas Stars.

Knoblauch hopes that Aubry will get more out of the goalkeepers Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard, who moved the Oilers to the Stanley Cup final in the last two seasons and lost to Florida Panthers on both occasions.

“It was a very difficult decision to make this change, but in the organization we always look for ways of how we can get better, whether it is better for the power game, our 5-to-5 game or our defense group, whatever,” said Knoblauch. “We were looking for opportunities to drive our goalkeepers and do them better.”

Aubry spent the last two seasons as Associate Coach at the University of Nebraska Omaha. The attitude is his return to the NHL, after working with the Chicago Blackhawks as her development target coach and the goalkeeper coach of her subsidiary of the American Hockey League in Rockford for eight seasons from 2015-16 to 2022-23.

Last season Skinner was 26-18-4 with an average of 2.81 goals, a percentage of 0.896 and three failures in 51 games of the regular season (50 starts). Then he went 7-7 with a 2.99 GAA, a percentage of 0.889 and three Shutouts in 15 playoff starts, but he was pulled three times in the late season, including 3 and 4 of the Stanley Cup final.

Pickard was 22-10-1 with 2.71 GAA and 0.900 percentage in 36 games of the regular season (31 starts). He was 7-1 with a 2.85 GAA and a percentage of 0.886 in 10 playoff games (seven starts).

“I just think that he will be able to push these boys with Peter and bring a different perspective,” said Knoblauch. “Hopefully he will make these boys play their best more often.”

The contracts of all former Oilers assistants had expired at the end of the season, so that changes were expected in the staff.

Together with the additions, Assistant Mark Stuart signed a new contract and will take over the defenders for Coffey. The video trainer Noah Segall will also return.

“We were not sure how many coaching changes we had to do, and obviously the attitude of Glen Gulutzan, which went to Dallas, changed a little,” said Knoblauch. “We wanted to wait until the process was carried out so that we knew exactly what we needed and our coaching team would fill out.”

Knoblauch, who enters the last season of his three -year contract, also waited for Coffey's word whether he would return behind the bank for his third season. Coffey had been appointed as an assistant when garlic was stopped on November 12, 2023 as a replacement for Jay Woodcroft.

“I think we will still have talks with Paul and Paul will still give us his insight into the team's games and what we should do, which will be a great advantage for our team of coaches, especially with so many new boys,” said Knoblauch. “Now, when Paul treads, Mark Stuart, this traditional defensive trainer, will slip into this position.”

McFarland on his part spent last season as coach of the Calgary Hitmen of the Western Hockey League. Previously, he worked as an assistant at Seattle Kraken (2021-24), Toronto Maple Leafs (2019-20) and Panthers (2017-19).

Everyone worked with the US Hockey National Team Development Program under-17 team last season.

“I think everyone brings a bit different elements,” said Knoblauch. “You don't want the same thing [type] From boys you need so much energy and analytical thinkers or whatever it is. We were able to sit back for a while, and after the hiring of Glen, we were continued with this process for all of these places. “

Coaching employees will only be part of a new look for the oilers this season. Edmonton also made a number of squad changes after they had lost in six games against the Panthers in the Cup final.

Among the new faces, Edmonton signed the Free Agent striker Andrew Mangiapane and Curtis Lazar and acquired the striker Isaac Howard, who won the Hobey Baker Memorial Award 2025 as a top men in NCAA ice hockey in a trade in Tampa Bay Lightning.

The Oilers hope that Howard (21) and colleague Matt Savoie (21) can make the leap to the NHL this season to fill the emptiness that was left by Evander Kane, which was traded on the Vancouver Canucks, as well as Connor Brown (New Jersey Devils), Corey Perry (Los Angeles Kings) and Josed Skiner (San Jose Devils) as Freey and Jose, San Jose, in the frequencies, and Jose, San Jose, who was from the frequency of Los Angeles), and Jose, San Jose, who had banned.

Knoblauch said that he and his coaching team should be patient with Howard and Savoie who will try to make the transition from the NCAA or AHL.

“We would like to be able to play Howard and Savoie in the top six and to have an impact on understanding that there will be some mistakes and that we will simply go forward, and hopefully that is the case,” said Knoblauch. “From the perspective of the organization, we have a lot of faith in these boys. To get Howard, we have to believe that Howard can help us and can be an impact player sooner than later. For you, we have to give you these options.”