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Ralph Krueger regularly runs in the mountains so we know he’s in superior shape to most hockey coaches.

“He runs stairs like I do, but his stairs are in the Swiss Alps,” kidded Edmonton Oilers assistant coach Steve Smith. “Tough to keep up to Ralph.”

The question, though, isn’t Krueger’s stamina, it’s how he fits as the Oilers head coach now.

How is he going to be different from Tom Renney, who brought the longtime Swiss national team coach to the NHL as his right-hand man?

Different voice, for sure. Different tactics? Different message? We’ll see.

He’s got a lot to do:

• Wring 10 more wins out of the Oilers so they are in a playoff hunt next March and early April.

• Get his veteran core to produce infinitely more than they did last season, when only Ryan Smyth (for the first half) gave them any offensive spark to complete young stars Taylor Hall, Jordan Eberle and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.

• See his veterans buy into support roles, particularly Smyth and captain Shawn Horcoff.

• Guide his defence into moving the puck up the ice with more alacrity so RNH, Hall and Co. don’t have to come back 175 feet to start the attack.

Other than that, piece of cake.

Krueger, a motivational speaker when he’s not a coach, is up for whatever hockey hills he has to climb.

He’s armed with a three-year contract, which should buy him some time to get to the next step. Returning will be loyal coaching soldiers Smith, Kelly Buchberger, goalie coach Fred Chabot, video coach Myles Fee and skating instructor Steve Serdachny, who were all part of Renney’s staff.

For now, Krueger, who has been auditioning for this NHL head-coaching post for the last two decades since a chronic back ended his starry playing career in Germany, will not be hiring an associate coach.