Surprise statement from Don Cherry to McDavid and the Oilers

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Skyler Walker
November 20, 2023 (9:17)

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The Edmonton Oilers created shockwaves recently with the surprising decision to part ways with head coach Jay Woodcroft, despite his notable success with the team. Kris Knoblauch swiftly stepped in as the new head coach, prompting speculation about the influence of Oilers captain Connor McDavid on organizational decisions.

Veteran NHL analyst Don Cherry weighed in on this significant move during his latest podcast, expressing astonishment at Woodcroft's dismissal, particularly after a victory.

"I can't believe they fired Jay Woodcroft after a win,"

-Don Cherry.

Cherry seems to believe that Woodcroft won't be too disheartened, considering the substantial compensation he'll receive despite the early termination of his contract.

"They get paid pretty good dough now,"

Cherry stated.

While Cherry didn't delve much into thoughts on Kris Knoblauch, he humorously mispronounced his name as "Kris Knob-cock" in his typical style. However, Cherry had glowing praise for Knoblauch's new assistant, Paul Coffey, foreseeing success based on Coffey's coaching history with younger players.

"Coffey was fantastic coaching in Toronto," Cherry reminisced about Coffey's time with the Toronto Marlies minor midget team. "They changed lines effectively, and shots from the point were low. A penalty against them meant a goal. He was a great coach... and he will continue to be."

Regarding perceptions of McDavid's influence, Cherry believes that the last thing the superstar forward wants is added pressure.

"He's not," Cherry refuted rumors of McDavid running the show. "He doesn't want the reputation of running the club. He's got enough going on."

Cherry appreciates some aspects of the team's new direction, especially the grouping of defensemen in the locker room. This aligns with a more "old school" approach, fitting Cherry's longstanding philosophy on the game, like this incident many years ago on Oilers Nail Yakupov: