Jay Woodcroft Opens Up About Being Fired by the Edmonton Oilers

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Liam McCormick
October 21, 2024 (7:26 PM)

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When the Edmonton Oilers fired Jay Woodcroft early last season, he really wasn't the problem for a team that went to the Stanley Cup Final.

Now, Woodcroft is at home in Edmonton and still looking for another job as an NHL head coach. In a new interview with Pierre LeBrun in the Athletic, Woodcroft got candid about his final days with the Oilers.

»At the time, my belief was that the more we could get the group to focus, the more likely we were going to be able to break through the early doldrums of the season. There were a lot of things being done correctly. We were generating numerous chances but had a tough time converting. And we weren't giving up a whole lot, but what we did seemed to be going in our net.»
- Jay Woodcroft

Woodcroft is right to point out that he essentially lost his job over an abysmal two weeks ago stretch to begin the season. The reasons behind the slump were Connor McDavid's lack of scoring, and the goaltending of Jack Campbell and Stuart Skinner. After a brutal loss to a rebuilding Sharks team, Woodcroft knew he was going to be fired.

The Oilers would've won more games to begin the year with any other goalie than Campbell, and while they still needed to fire Woodcroft to shake up the room, it must sting for the former coach. The same team went to the Stanley Cup Final later that year. Still, Woodcroft admitted it was his responsibility to get more out of the team.

»As the coach at the time, I felt we were 90 percent there,» Woodcroft said. «I felt the team was really ready to take a step. I didn't get to see it through, but I saw lots of good things from a lot of good people. A lot of leadership. I saw a lot of role acceptance. And I saw the team on the cusp. The team ended up going on to do some good things.»
- Jay Woodcroft

In parts of three seasons as a head coach, Woodcroft has an impressive 79-41-14 record. He'll surely get an NHL job somewhere else soon when team get to firing their coaches early this year as usual. For now, he's still in his home in Edmonton, awaiting the next opportunity and taking the time to better himself as a coach. Oilers fans will certainly be wishing him the best in his next endeavour.