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EDMONTON, AB – One of Warburg, Alberta’s biggest Oilers fans apparently won’t be wearing Blue & Orange tonight.

When Oilers Head Coach Knoblauch spoke during his morning media availability about facing his former colleague in Kraken Head Coach Dave Hakstol, he was sure that a certain someone of Hakstol affiliation from Warburg – Hakstol’s hometown in central Alberta – would be firmly on his side.

“I assume his mom will be coming at the game, and I know she will be cheering for me because she is a diehard Oilers fan,” Knoblauch said. “So I know I've got that.”

According to Hakstol, as of Tuesday, there’s been a change in allegiances – even if it’s just for one game on Wednesday night.

"I got bad news,” Hakstol responded in his media availability. “I had dinner with her last night, and his stalwart fan has jumped ship and she's cheering for the Kraken tonight.”

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      Kris addresses the media prior to facing the Seattle Kraken

      Knoblauch served as an assistant coach under Hakstol with the Philadelphia Flyers for two seasons from 2017-19 in his first NHL coaching position after spending five years with the OHL’s Erie Otters, including a championship the season prior to moving behind the Flyers’ bench under Hakstol.

      “First of all, he's a great family man. He and his wife are great people; just really well thought out,” Hakstol said of his former assistant. “He's a guy that's going to articulate things pretty well, communicate really well with his players and is very confident in the way he goes about his business. He carries himself that way on a daily basis.”

      The Oilers bench boss attributes a lot of his current coaching philosophy and calm demeanour as a head coach to Hakstol, who was introduced to Knoblauch by former Flyers’ general manager Ron Hextall before interviewing and obtaining the position. Knoblauch picked out daily preparation, organizing practices, managing players and staff, and communicating information in different ways as some of the biggest takeaways from working under Hakstol.

      “I've got a lot of respect for Dave. I think he's an outstanding coach,” Knoblauch said. “I think he's got a calm demeanour behind the bench, but he's very passionate and very knowledgeable at the game and I think he connects well with his players. In my time there, I think I learned a lot from him and a lot of the way I coach is a lot of what I saw from him in my two years that I got to work with him.

      “I have a lot of respect for him and it will feel nice to beat him tonight,” he said with a smirk.

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          Dave speaks about his former Flyers colleague Kris Knoblauch