What Jay Woodcroft has been up to since getting fired by the Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers fired Jay Woodcroft on Nov. 12, 2023 after watching the team stumble to a 3-9-1 start.
The poor play put the Oilers 31st in the NHL, far out of a playoff spot just a month into the campaign. Under new coach, Kris Knoblauch, the team ultimately recovered and made it to the Stanley Cup Final, only to lose to the Florida Panthers.
But many believe Woodcroft was a scapegoat more than a problem. He went 26-9-3 to close out the 2022-23 season to get the Oilers into playoff contention. He boasted a .643 points percentage during his 133-game tenure with the Oilers, good enough to place him 12th among all-time NHL coaches with at least 100 games.
Woodcroft hasn’t coached an NHL team since, but many think that could change before too long. In a recent episode of Frankly Speaking with Frank Seravalli, Woodcroft explained what he’s been up to and how he’s learned from the experience.
Frank Seravalli: “Jay Woodcroft, it’s been almost 18 months since we’ve seen you behind an NHL bench. What have you been up to?”
Jay Woodcroft: “It’s been an interesting pause here for me. I’ve been talking about how I’ve tried to use my time as best as possible. I’ve gone all over the world to try and find new ways, try and make myself better and really enjoy the time that I do have to spend with my family here. So when I talk about this pause, I think about the ability to have a good perspective on things. That’s what that time does. It gives you a good perspective. It allows you to look at things from a certain distance and not be so emotionally charged like you are when you’re first relieved of your duty. So I’ve really tried to lean into that.
“I’ve had a 20-year career with three different organizations, and I’ve not had that opportunity before. So, I’ve really tried to invest in being the best that I can be. Study ways to get better. Look at things like communication. Look at things like how to improve team culture. Look at things like how to get better player buy-in or engagement. And so this time, while it’s not what I’m wired to do, I’m wired to work. I’m a passionate hockey person who loves the game. It’s been a positive experience in the sense that I’ve used my time wisely here to prepare for my next opportunity.”
You can listen to the full segment below: