Star defender Mattias Ekholm will make his debut in the Ice Hockey World Championship against Canada on Friday, but when the Tre Kronor player returns to Edmonton from the championship in Switzerland, he will no longer be coached by Kris Knoblauch.
On Thursday, the 47-year-old coach was fired. Knoblauch took over Edmonton in November 2023 and led the team to two straight Stanley Cup Finals (both losses to Florida), but in this year's playoffs the Canadian club was eliminated in the first round by Anaheim, losing the series 4–2.
In addition to Ekholm, compatriot Mattias Janmark also plays for Edmonton.
