Could Paul Coffey Return Behind the Oilers’ Bench? There’s Smoke, and Maybe Some Fire
The Edmonton Oilers are very much in the playoff hunt, sitting second in the Pacific Division heading into the Olympic break. But even with their recent surge, there’s a lingering sense that something isn’t quite clicking - especially on the back end. And now, the buzz around a possible coaching shakeup is getting louder, with one very familiar name at the center of it: Paul Coffey.
Yes, that Paul Coffey - the Hall of Fame defenseman, five-time Stanley Cup champ, and former Oilers assistant coach. According to multiple insiders, Edmonton is seriously considering bringing Coffey back behind the bench for the stretch run, potentially to take over the defense.
This talk didn’t come out of nowhere. It picked up steam after Leon Draisaitl, never one to mince words, called out the team following a frustrating loss to the Calgary Flames last Wednesday. And he didn’t just point the finger at the players.
“We’re not consistent enough, and this league’s too hard to just lollygag through games and try to get winning streaks going,” Draisaitl said. “You need everybody. It starts with the coaches, like, everybody.”
That kind of comment doesn’t go unnoticed - especially when it’s coming from one of your franchise cornerstones. It added fuel to speculation that changes might be coming behind the bench.
A couple of days later, Elliotte Friedman mentioned in his 32 Thoughts column that the idea of Coffey returning had been floated earlier in the season, though he was told at the time it wasn’t in the cards. Still, Friedman noted that Coffey “brings an edge they could use,” even if there are questions about whether all parties involved are on board.
Then came Frank Seravalli’s appearance on Sportsnet’s Big Show Friday, where he didn’t hedge much: “I think it’s a very strong possibility that they do make a change to their coaching staff and that Paul Coffey is brought back to run the defence,” he said. “I think that’s something they’re examining and talking about right now. The break is sort of that perfect time to make that change.”
That would be a significant move - and not without precedent. Coffey spent the past two seasons as an assistant coach, helping guide the Oilers to back-to-back Stanley Cup Final appearances. But this past offseason, the team shuffled the deck, bringing in Paul McFarland to run the defense while Coffey transitioned into a role as a special advisor to ownership and hockey operations.
Reports later surfaced that the fit between Coffey and the rest of the coaching staff wasn’t exactly seamless. Still, it’s hard to ignore the on-ice results.
With Coffey on the bench, Edmonton’s defense was far from perfect, but it was more stable - and more dangerous in transition. Seravalli didn’t shy away from pointing that out.
“This defence just hasn’t been the same as it was the last couple of years when Coffey was on the bench,” he said. “That’s been the biggest mess of this team.”
He’s not wrong. Despite their strong position in the standings, the Oilers rank 28th in the NHL in goals against - 194 allowed heading into the break. That’s a tough number to stomach for a team with Stanley Cup aspirations, especially considering the offensive firepower they’ve got up front.
The question now is whether Edmonton’s brass sees Coffey as the fix. He’s already in the building, he knows the personnel, and he’s got the pedigree. But bringing him back would mean revisiting a dynamic that, by all accounts, wasn’t exactly smooth the first time around.
Still, with the Olympic break offering a natural window for change, and the playoff race tightening, the timing couldn’t be better if the Oilers decide to pull the trigger.
One thing’s clear: this team has the talent to make a deep run. But if the defense doesn’t tighten up - and fast - that talent might not be enough. And that’s why all eyes are on the bench right now.