Paul Coffey back behind the Oilers bench? Friedman says Edmonton isn’t sold
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Daniel Lucente
Feb 10, 2026 (5:21 PM)
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Photo credit: Perry Nelson-Imagn Images
Elliotte Friedman heard Paul Coffey chatter in Edmonton, and the Oilers mood feels tense.
He said the idea exists, but he “didn’t sense a lot of enthusiasm” for it.
That’s the key line, because the room already looks like it’s searching for a lever.
Edmonton sits 28-22-8, yet the underlying stress keeps leaking out.
When a contender keeps winning but keeps bleeding, coaches become the easiest target.
"There's a lot of talk in Edmonton they're gonna bring back Paul Coffey, I don't know if I see that; however I do recognize that it's getting a bit ugly and that forces everybody to decisions...but I didn't sense a lot of enthusiasm for that."
- Elliotte Friedman
- Elliotte Friedman
Coffey is not a random name, he ran the blue line behind the bench before moving upstairs.
The club shifted him back to an adviser role in July 2025, with Mark Stuart taking the defencemen.
So any “bring him back” rumour is really about direction, not nostalgia.
Paul Coffey and the Edmonton Oilers tension is real
Oilers fans can feel the impatience, because this roster knows it should be better in its own end.
Friedman also noted things are “getting a bit ugly,” the kind of phrase that usually precedes a tough decision.
Edmonton is still giving up too much, sitting 28th in goals against at 194.
Leon Draisaitl’s public jab that it “starts with the coaches” was a flare, not a tantrum.
If Kris Knoblauch just adds help, it might steady the bench before games ramp up again.
If Coffey returned, it would signal a sharper edge on breakouts and a shorter leash for risky pinches.
But it would also reopen last summer’s staffing reset, and that is never friction free.
Meanwhile Connor McDavid keeps dragging results forward with 34-62-96, which masks a lot.
The next stretch will tell you if Edmonton tweaks systems, or if it reaches for a headline move.
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| POLL | ||
FEVRIER 10|257 ANSWERS Paul Coffey back behind the Oilers bench? Friedman says Edmonton isn’t sold Should the Edmonton Oilers bring back Paul Coffey? | ||
| Yes | 202 | 78.6 % |
| No | 55 | 21.4 % |
| List of polls | ||