Oilers coach reveals the main lesson learned from the 2024 loss to the Panthers.
The Edmonton Oilers came into the 2024 Stanley Cup Final with the weight of expectation and the dreams of a hockey-crazed city resting on their shoulders. After a thrilling playoff run filled with determination, grit, and moments of brilliance, the Oilers found themselves four wins away from lifting hockey’s most coveted prize. But in the end, they fell short. The Florida Panthers, with their depth, discipline, and relentless forecheck, proved too much over a grueling series that tested both teams to their limits. For the Oilers, the pain of losing on the sport’s grandest stage lingered long after the final buzzer, but it also sparked reflection and growth. In the months that followed, head coach Kris Knoblauch sat down with staff and players alike to sift through the debris of defeat and uncover the core lessons hidden within it. And as the 2025 season roared ahead, Knoblauch revealed what he believed was the most critical takeaway from that heartbreaking loss: the importance of adaptability.
Knoblauch, in a calm and measured tone, described how the Oilers had entered the series with a game plan built on speed, puck possession, and a dynamic power play. For much of the playoffs, those ingredients had led to success. They overwhelmed opponents with their ability to transition quickly, stretch defenses, and exploit mismatches. Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl were dominant, while Zach Hyman, Evan Bouchard, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins all contributed significantly. Their special teams were near-unbeatable. It was a formula that seemed destined to bring a title to Edmonton for the first time since 1990. But the Panthers, coached by Paul Maurice and led by the tenacity of Matthew Tkachuk, Aleksander Barkov, and Sergei Bobrovsky in net, brought a different challenge — one the Oilers struggled to adjust to in real time.
Knoblauch emphasized that the Panthers didn’t win because they were more talented. They won because they adapted quicker. After losing Game 1, Florida made subtle tactical changes, tightening their neutral zone coverage and targeting Edmonton’s defensive gaps with surgical efficiency. Their forecheck grew more aggressive, forcing turnovers and limiting the Oilers’ ability to build speed through the neutral zone. As the series wore on, the Panthers dictated the style of play. Edmonton, used to setting the pace, found themselves reacting more than initiating. And that, Knoblauch admitted, was the root of the problem.
In his postmortem analysis, Knoblauch pointed out several moments when the Oilers had the opportunity to adjust but didn’t seize it. Whether it was sticking too long with a defensive pairing that was struggling under pressure, being hesitant to shuffle line combinations in response to Florida’s shutdown schemes, or failing to tweak the power play strategy as the Panthers became increasingly effective at neutralizing it, the Oilers too often leaned on what had worked in the past instead of innovating in the moment. The coach noted that it wasn’t due to stubbornness but rather a deeply ingrained belief in their identity. “We thought if we kept playing our game, eventually it would break through,” he said. “But at that level, against that kind of opponent, sometimes you need to change your game before the other team forces you to.”
One of the more painful examples came in Game 3, when Edmonton had a chance to swing momentum. With the series tied 1-1 and the home crowd at Rogers Place roaring, the Oilers came out with intensity. But the Panthers weathered the early storm, adjusted their breakouts to minimize Edmonton’s pressure, and capitalized on a pair of neutral zone turnovers. Knoblauch recalled the second period as a turning point. “We needed to slow the game down, simplify things, maybe even play more dump-and-chase for a bit just to settle the rhythm. But we kept trying to make the perfect pass, the pretty play. It played into their hands.”
That unwillingness to depart from their usual style was a hard lesson. Over the offseason, Knoblauch and his staff dedicated themselves to ensuring the team would be more versatile moving forward. That meant building strategies not just for when things go right, but for when they don’t. In practice sessions leading up to the 2025 season, there was an increased emphasis on situational drills — simulating different scorelines, styles of play, and tactics. The coaching staff broke down video from not just their own series against Florida, but other teams that had adjusted successfully under pressure. They looked at how Vegas had disrupted high-powered offenses in 2023, how Tampa Bay had adapted their systems during their championship runs, and how even teams that fell short made in-game adjustments that gave them fighting chances.
Perhaps most significantly, Knoblauch fostered a culture of communication and flexibility within the locker room. Players were encouraged to voice what they saw on the ice in real time, and assistant coaches were empowered to make micro-adjustments between shifts. The goal was to create a team that didn’t just prepare for one way to win, but several. In Knoblauch’s view, adaptability wasn’t about abandoning your strengths — it was about knowing when and how to evolve them.
Another key area of focus was emotional composure. Knoblauch noted how the Panthers maintained a consistent demeanor throughout the series, even when trailing or under pressure. By contrast, the Oilers at times appeared frustrated, pressing too hard or trying to force plays that weren’t there. “You could see it in our body language,” he admitted. “When things didn’t go our way, we tried to will it instead of read it.” That observation led to renewed emphasis on mental resilience training. Sports psychologists were brought in during training camp, and players took part in exercises aimed at helping them reset mentally during games — whether through breathing techniques, visualization, or bench communication cues designed to keep focus.
Knoblauch also reflected on the role of leadership during adversity. While McDavid and Draisaitl led by example, he believed there was room to develop more vocal leadership across the roster. In high-stakes moments, having multiple voices reinforcing structure and belief could be the difference between composure and chaos. That’s why, ahead of the 2025 playoffs, the Oilers created a rotating leadership group designed to empower different players to lead in meetings, on the bench, and in the room. It wasn’t just about captains — it was about cultivating a team of thinkers, problem-solvers, and adaptive leaders.
For Knoblauch personally, the loss was also a lesson in humility. Though he had guided the team to its deepest playoff run in decades, he recognized that he, too, had room to grow. He spent part of the summer consulting with veteran NHL coaches, exchanging insights on in-series adjustments and decision-making. “You never stop learning in this league,” he said. “And if you think you’ve got it all figured out, that’s when the game humbles you.” He returned to training camp more open to collaboration, more willing to delegate, and more prepared to make bold calls when needed.
The early part of the 2025 season showed glimpses of a more flexible Oilers squad. In games where their high-octane offense was stifled, they showed greater patience, grinding out low-scoring wins and adjusting their forecheck to match their opponent’s style. McDavid, while still electrifying, also took on more of a distributor role in tight games, drawing defenders and opening space for secondary scorers. The defensive unit, too, looked more poised, better able to make reads under pressure and clear the zone with purpose. While the sting of the 2024 loss hadn’t disappeared, it was being transformed into fuel.
Knoblauch remained adamant that disappointment should not define them, but rather refine them. He viewed the Florida series not as a failure, but as a necessary chapter in the team’s evolution. “You don’t reach the top without getting tested in the worst ways,” he said. “We were close. And now we know what close isn’t good enough.”
When asked what he would tell a young coach facing their first championship series, Knoblauch didn’t hesitate. “Have your plan, but have your pivot too. Be ready to change before you’re forced to. And trust your players to do the same. The game’s too fast, too smart now to rely on just one way to win.”
As the Oilers pursued another run at the Stanley Cup in 2025, those words hung over every practice, every film session, every shift. The lesson of 2024 had been etched into the foundation of the team’s philosophy. Adaptability wasn’t just a tactic — it was a mindset. And with it, the Oilers hoped they were not just better prepared to return to the Final, but to finish what they started.
