Knoblauch crucial speech was recorded during time out in game 7

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Noel Drolet
May 23, 2024 (11:27)

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Knoblauch shows why he such a great fit by keeping the team calm in big moments.

During game 7 against Canucks, every Oilers fan was worried as soon as the Canucks scored their second goal with 4:36 left on the clock. The Canucks had come back to beat the Oilers before and it looked like they could do it again when the stakes couldn't be higher.

The only person that wasn't worried was Kris Knoblauch, who called a timeout to be able to rally the players and keep their heads calm. He was mic'd up during this timeout and he kept his speech simple, reminding them that they're in the lead and just need to bide their time.

We gotta make some plays, eh? Keep it simple, we're good. We've been in this situation lots. Make your plays, win your battles, let's put the pressure on.

A reminder here to keep it simple, win battles and put pressure on is all that the Oilers needed. A coach like Knoblauch is amazing at keeping players focused and not getting in their heads too much, just reminding them they have the ability to win the game.

Knoblauch's speech and the timeout really worked wonders for the Oilers' confidence, as the Oilers didn't allow a single shot on net until the end of the game. Up until then the Canucks had been all over them, and Knoblauch's speech perfectly changed the tide of the game.

It's no surprise that Knoblauch has this effect on the guys, as since his hiring he has been amazing at getting the best out of this team. Knoblauch has been incredibly effective as head coach and his work taking the team from the bottom into the best team since his hiring cannot be understated.

Knoblauch is a guy the Oilers are going to want to keep around, especially because of how good he's been with the team. They've needed a guy like him and it's great to see him getting the best out of the team when it matters most.