Holland to meet with coach Woodcroft about future with Oilers

After leading the Edmonton Oilers to the Western Conference Final this spring, general manager Ken Holland said Jay Woodcroft did a "fabulous job" as the team's interim head coach during a news conference on Wednesday. 

Holland will meet with Woodcroft early next week to discuss his future with the team going forward. 

Holland said Jay Woodcroft did a “fabulous job.” They’re going to meet early next week to discuss his future. Holland said he’d like to have Woodcroft back as the coach. Seems like the likely outcome.

The 45-year-old Woodcroft went 26-9-3 over the final 38 games of the regular season after the Oilers fired head coach Dave Tippett on Feb. 10.

Woodcroft is the 17th coach in Oilers’ franchise history.

Edmonton edged the Los Angeles Kings in seven games in the opening round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs before winning the Battle of Alberta over the Calgary Flames in five games. The Oilers were swept by the Colorado Avalanche in the conference final.

Woodcroft joined the Oilers organization as an assistant coach in 2015 before serving as head coach of the Bakersfield Condors, Edmonton’s AHL affiliate, from 2018 to 2022.