Edmonton Oilers Head Coach Kris Knoblauch has coached Connor McDavid at two critical junctures of his career, first as a 15-year-old in junior hockey and now as an NHL superstar leading the league in scoring.
In a recent appearance on The Jim Rowe Show, Knoblauch discussed the extraordinary opportunity to work with McDavid across more than a decade, from the Erie Otters of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) to the Oilers in the NHL.
The connection between coach and player dates back to November 2012. This was when Knoblauch took over as head coach of the Erie Otters midway through McDavid’s exceptional-status rookie season. The previous year, the Otters had posted one of the worst records in OHL history. However, the combination of McDavid’s generational talent and Knoblauch’s coaching would turn the franchise into a championship contender.
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Knoblauch looks back on McDavid’s time in the OHL
Speaking on the show, the Oilers’ coach expressed gratitude for being able to witness McDavid’s development at two pivotal stages.
“I’ve been fortunate, I coached him in junior when he was 15 years old, in 2012; then he moved, graduated to the NHL and just the fact that he’s setting these records at an unbelievable rate and continuing to do it so many years later, just finding ways to contribute, scoring goals, getting assists, winning hockey games, it’s been very remarkable,” Knoblauch said.
“And to be behind the bench, being able to coach him is, you know, so many coaches don’t get that opportunity and here I am, you know, getting to do it twice.”
The making of a team-first superstar
Beyond McDavid’s scoring, Knoblauch has up close observed qualities that set the superstar apart from other elite players. When asked about McDavid’s character, the coach pointed to his humility and awareness of teammates, traits that were evident even as a teenager.
“I think he’s done a tremendous job at doing that because there’s a lot of pressure on him being his best and being a good teammate and one thing I’ve learned about Connor is he’s always very cognizant of his teammates, giving praise and often when he’s getting the praise and maybe his teammates are ignored. He’s almost embarrassed to get that praise,” Knoblauch explained. “And that’s why he’s such a great teammate and guys have looked up to him right away.”
Even now with the Oilers, Connor McDavid continues to make life easier for his teammates, current and new ones. NHL insider Mark Spector recently detailed that both McDavid and Leon Draisaitl often reach out to new teammates almost immediately after they join. The process then extends off the ice, with McDavid’s wife Lauren Kyle contacting players’ partners to offer support and help them adjust to life in Edmonton.
“Lauren McDavid reaches out to the guy’s spouse and says, ‘Hey, welcome to the team. What can I help you with? We’re here for you. When you come here, you’ve got a support system.’ And Lauren is now the captain of the wives,” Spector said.
Knoblauch surprised by amount of respect McDavid garnered from older teammates
Kris Knoblauch also recalled his initial concerns about how the dynamic would work when he arrived midseason in Erie. McDavid, at just 15-years-old, was already the team’s most talented player despite being surrounded by players four or five years his senior.
“I came in midseason when he was 15 and he was already the best player on the team. He was 15 playing with 19 and 20-year-olds and, you know, I thought it was going to be a difficult situation but after knowing the personality of Connor and the makeup of him, I was just surprised at how much respect his teammates had for him,” Knoblauch said.
“And I thought they’d be a little envious of him, a little jealous of the success and the attention that he’s getting but he’s such a good teammate. He looks out for the other guys so you can understand why his teammates had so much respect for him.”
Under Knoblauch’s guidance, the Otters posted four consecutive 50-win seasons, the first team in Canadian Hockey League history to accomplish that feat. McDavid recorded 285 points in 166 OHL games. This included a stunning 120-point campaign in his draft year despite missing 20 games with a broken hand.
Fast forward to November 2023, and the Oilers were in crisis mode with a 3–9–1 record to start the season. General manager Ken Holland made the call to fire Jay Woodcroft and bring in Knoblauch, who had been coaching the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack. The reunion was immediate and impactful as the Oilers’ fortunes reversed and the team would go on to make two Stanley Cup Final runs.
Now, in the 2025–26 season, McDavid is once again leading the NHL in scoring with 126 points through 77 games continuing to cement his legacy as one of the game’s all-time greats. Will Knoblauch and McDavid bring the Cup to Edmonton this season?
Photo by Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire
