13-06-2025
Edmonton Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch showed 'unmatched composure' as young player
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Knoblauch, the pride of Imperial, Sask., would become head coach of the Edmonton Oilers, who are battling in the Stanley Cup championship final against the Florida Panthers.
But back in the mid-1990s, Knoblauch was a young player on the North Stars in what was then the Saskatchewan Midget AAA Hockey League and is now known as the Saskatchewan U18 Male AAA Hockey League.
Knoblauch played two seasons with the Stars, helping the team win a Mac's Invitational championship in 1995 at Calgary.
'That goes way back,' Nilson said this week from his hometown in Warman. 'He had something special about him. He's very intelligent, quiet-but-he-knows-what-he's-doing kind of kid. You know what I mean? He's not a kid anymore, but a grown adult, but I still call him a kid.
'I can remember him coming in. He actually belonged to Portland (Winterhawks, of the Western Hockey League). Portland called and said, 'I've got two guys from Saskatchewan who would like to play AAA' and I said 'okay, what about them?' I was told 'one is 6-foot-5 and the other 6-foot-2.' I said, 'Send them both.' I couldn't care who they were. That was about it.'
