Nation Sites
The Nation Network
OilersNation has no direct affiliation to the Edmonton Oilers, Oilers Entertainment Group, NHL, or NHLPA
Babcock talked to Oilers leaders ‘very bluntly’ about not winning
Photo credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 22, 2026, 14:00 EDTUpdated: Jun 22, 2026, 15:16 EDT
The conversation between the three Edmonton Oilers leaders and Mike Babcock was a very blunt one, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.
The expectation is that the Oilers will officially hire Babcock any time now, once the NHL’s investigation into the Columbus situation three years ago is over.
During 32 Thoughts on Monday morning, Friedman highlighted that the meeting between presumably Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Zach Hyman and Babcock was an honest and direct back-and-forth.
“The Oilers were all in on this,” said Friedman. “They weren’t backing down. I don’t think their players were backing down.
“I heard from a couple of people that when he met with the three Oilers players, it was some meeting. I heard they really grilled him hard and I heard he spoke to them about their own role in the fact the Oilers hadn’t won yet, very bluntly. But they’re going to do this.”
The NHL’s investigation moved fast with the league saying last Thursday that: “Our investigation has concluded that, even in a light least favorable (sic) to Mr. Babcock, there is no current basis to restrict his employment in the League.”
The specific wording of “light least favorable” is as “backhanded as it gets,” said Friedman, as he believes the NHL and NHL Players’ Association aren’t thrilled that Babcock will be back.
The additional situation beyond what was known about players’ phones being taken wasn’t enough to deny Babcock the right to work in the eyes of the league.
“Bettman is a lawyer, Daly is a lawyer. As long as there was nothing legally that could prevent them from bringing Mike Babcock back, they weren’t going to stop it,” said Friedman. “There had to be a legal reason for them not to do it.
“I heard from a lot of people who were very upset by it. They were hoping that somehow the league would say no. That obviously didn’t happen. When they really began that investigation, we knew about the phone incident from some players; I reported there was one other incident they were looking into. I heard that also involved some invasion of privacy, and the player cooperated, but didn’t stand in the way. Or didn’t provide anything that could legally prevent him from coming back.”
Would Mike Babcock as coach hurt the Oilers chances to recruit players? It’s hard to say, but Edmonton’s top two pending free agents in Jason Dickinson and Connor Murphy have re-signed, so far.
Michael Menzies is an Oilersnation columnist and co-host of PreGaming and Oilersnation After Dark. He’s also been the play-by-play voice of the Bonnyville Pontiacs in the AJHL since 2019. With seven years of news experience as the Editor-at-Large of Lakeland Connect in Bonnyville, Menzies collects vinyl, books, and stomach issues. Follow him on X at Menzies_4.
PRESENTED BY LeaseBusters
LeaseBusters is Canada’s premier lease takeover marketplace, helping drivers get out of their current vehicle leases without costly penalties or negative equity. Instead of paying thousands to break a lease, sellers connect with qualified buyers ready to take it over—saving money and avoiding financial stress. Buyers benefit from shorter-term commitments and often better monthly payments, while dealerships retain a replacement customer and leasing companies keep contracts active. It’s a smarter, more efficient solution for everyone involved. Four parties, four wins—only with LeaseBusters. For more information, check out www.LeaseBusters.com.
Breaking News
- Monday Musings: Dickinson, Murphy, Babcock, and free agency plans
- Babcock talked to Oilers leaders ‘very bluntly’ about not winning
- Like Dickinson, Murphy’s new deal with Oilers carries five years of movement clauses
- Oilers sign defenceman Connor Murphy to five-year contract extension
- Breaking down the details of Jason Dickinson’s new contract