Coaches Bench

The coaches throughout the Edmonton Oilers’ history share many common characteristics. Most have either played or coached in Alberta prior to going behind the bench, and each has distinctly contributed to the unique style and energy to an ever-changing Oilers squad.

The first coach in franchise history was Ray Kinasewich, who guided junior hockey’s Edmonton Oil Kings to a Memorial Cup in 1966. The most recent is Craig MacTavish, who helped the Oilers win Stanley Cups in 1987, 1988 and 1990.

Glen Sather, a native of High River, Alberta, coached the Oilers to four Stanley Cup championships from 1984-1988. He coached the club for 11 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) and three in the World Hockey Association (WHA). Sather’s career coaching record with Edmonton is 464-268-110 in the regular season and 89-37 in playoff action.

John Muckler, who had served as an assistant under Sather in the 1980s, coached the Oilers to their last Stanley Cup in 1990. Kevin Lowe, who had played for Muckler in 1990, coached Edmonton in 1999-2000 before becoming the general manager.

In this section, we will highlight the careers of these talented players, mentors, drill-sergeants, and taskmasters, and pay homage to the many talented coaches the Oilers have had over the years.

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