Kris Knoblauch Wife
Meet Kris Knoblauch wife Autumn Knoblauch! Coach Kris Knoblauch is the head coach for the Edmonton Oilers; he previously served as assistant coach for the Philadelphia Flyers and head coach of the NY Rangers’ AHL affiliate team, Hartford Wolf Pack.
Autumn Knoblauch
Heach coach Kris Knoblauch’s wife, Autumn Knoblauch, born Autumn Sorenson in October 1978, is a speech pathologist; he met Autumn while she was attending the University of Alberta. At the time, he was playing hockey for the Edmonton Ice. They tied the knot in 2004.
Kris and Autumn Knoblauch are the proud parents to two amazing children, son Marek born in 2007 and daughter Emry born in 2010.
photo credit: https://twitter.com/GenePrincipe
Kris Knoblauch Playing Career
Knoblauch hails from Imperial, Saskatchewan. Despite being drafted by the New York Islanders in the seventh round of the 1997 NHL Entry Draft, he never made it to the NHL. He primarily played as a winger and spent parts of four seasons in the Western Hockey League (WHL) from 1995 to 1998 with teams like the Red Deer Rebels, Edmonton Ice, and Lethbridge Hurricanes.
Following his junior career, Knoblauch played for five seasons with the Alberta Golden Bears from 1999 to 2003, contributing 117 points in 102 games and being part of a National Championship-winning team in the 1999–00 season.
He also had stints in professional hockey with the Austin Ice Bats of the Central Hockey League and concluded his playing career in France with the Bisons de Neuilly-sur-Marne.
Kris Knoblauch Coaching Career
- Assistant Coaching in the WHL:
- Started coaching career as an assistant coach with the Prince Albert Raiders of the WHL in the 2006–07 season.
- Served as an assistant coach with the Kootenay Ice of the WHL for three seasons from 2007 to 2010.
- Promoted to head coach of the Kootenay Ice in 2010.
- Success with Kootenay Ice:
- In his first season as head coach (2010–11), led the team to a remarkable 46–21–1–4 regular season record and won the Ed Chynoweth Cup.
- Continued success in the following season (2011–12), though the team was eliminated in the first round of the WHL playoffs.
- Move to the University of Alberta and Erie Otters:
- Interviewed for the head coaching position with the University of Alberta Golden Bears men’s ice hockey team, leading to his dismissal from Kootenay Ice in May 2012.
- Joined the Erie Otters of the OHL as head coach in 2012.
- Success with Erie Otters:
- Achieved outstanding results during his tenure, including four consecutive 50-win seasons and winning the OHL Championship in 2016–17.
- Earned numerous accolades, including the Matt Leyden Trophy for OHL Coach of the Year in 2015–16.
- International Coaching and Notable Players:
- Coached Team Canada at various international tournaments.
- Coached several notable players, including Connor McDavid and Dylan Strome.
- Assistant Coaching with Philadelphia Flyers:
- Joined the Philadelphia Flyers as an assistant coach for the 2017–18 and 2018–19 seasons.
- Head Coaching Role with Hartford Wolf Pack:
- Appointed head coach of the Hartford Wolf Pack, the AHL affiliate of the New York Rangers, in July 2019.
- Filled in as head coach for the New York Rangers during a COVID-19 protocol situation in March 2021.
- Appointment as Head Coach of Edmonton Oilers:
- Named head coach of the Edmonton Oilers on November 12, 2023, succeeding Jay Woodcroft.
