The Oilers may have just landed one of hockey's biggest legends as head coach
Connor McDavid and former head coach Kris Knoblauch still frame Edmonton's search, and Patrick Roy just got thrown into it.
Jim Matheson's post was blunt: one coach the Oilers should talk to is Roy.
That idea got traction fast because Edmonton is not making a quiet hire here. The Oilers fired Knoblauch on May 14 and still have not named a replacement.
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So every serious name matters, especially with McDavid's window hanging over the whole offseason. That part is an inference based on Edmonton's coaching change and the stakes around the roster.
Roy is easy to understand as a conversation piece. He has name value, a huge personality, and enough résumé to command a room right away. That last point is an inference from Roy's NHL coaching history and profile.
But the other quote you shared may be the bigger clue.
Chris Johnston said Edmonton is looking for an experienced hand, someone with pedigree, and added that if Bruce Cassidy does not become available to them, Craig Berube certainly fits that profile.
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That sounds like a search with a lane already forming.
One of the greatest NHL players ever is now being linked as Edmonton's next head coach
Cassidy has been one of the names tied to Edmonton, though Vegas has complicated that path by refusing permission for an interview.
Berube looks more reachable. Reporting around the search says Edmonton has received permission to speak with him, and there has already been contact between the sides.
That is why Roy feels more like a fascinating idea than the cleanest fit.
If Johnston is right about what Edmonton wants, the Oilers are chasing stability, bench authority, and a coach with a long NHL track record. Cassidy and Berube line up with that description in a very direct way.
Roy checks some of those boxes too.
But Edmonton also has bigger problems than star power behind the bench. The club still needs better defensive control and a clearer answer in goal, so this hire has to be about more than splash. That second sentence is an inference from the Oilers' coaching change and the ongoing roster discussion around the team.
That is why Matheson's suggestion is fun, but Johnston's report feels more revealing.
Patrick Roy is absolutely a name worth discussing.
Craig Berube and Bruce Cassidy still sound a lot more like the type of coach Edmonton is actually trying to land.
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MAY 23, 2026
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