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The Oilers are asking for trouble with Mike Babcock
Photo credit: Kyle Robertson-USA TODAY NETWORK
Jun 9, 2026, 13:00 EDTUpdated: Jun 9, 2026, 13:42 EDT
The Edmonton Oilers’ desperation to win a Stanley Cup is clear and obvious.
Is that a good thing or a bad thing?
Since Connor McDavid called them an average team with high expectations, the organization has made headlines for all the wrong reasons.
McDavid and Leon Draisaitl again made comments about the coaching in their end-of-season media availabilities. News leaked that they asked the Vegas Golden Knights to speak with Bruce Cassidy before hiring Kris Knoblauch. Then Knoblauch was fired. Then Vegas denied them permission to speak with Cassidy, and that remains the case.
Now, in early June, they’re making headlines after Darren Dreger reported that Edmonton has an interest in hiring Mike Babcock as their next head coach.
Great.
The man who was fired in Columbus before he had time to set up his new office. Not exactly the hire we all envisioned when Bowman and Co. fired Knoblauch. Columbus isn’t the only spot where Babcock treated his players poorly, either.
On July 1, 2023, Babcock was unveiled as the coach in Columbus. His past was up for debate and left for Blue Jackets management to answer for. Jarmo Kekäläinen, the former GM in Columbus, stated he had spoken with “Hall of Fame people with character” and was told that Babcock was a “great coach but, more importantly, a great person.” Mentioned that it was a unanimous opinion from everyone he spoke with.
John Davidson, the president of hockey operations at the time, said, “It’s important to do your research.”
Babcock apparently took that advice to heart.
Just 78 days after being hired, he resigned amid an NHLPA-led investigation into allegations surrounding requests to view players’ personal phones. Columbus insisted they had done their homework on Babcock, but it backfired incredibly quickly. I wonder if any of those people were Johan Franzen, Mike Modano, and Mitch Marner, the players he was brutal to.
Probably not, and that’s likely not the case in Edmonton either.
Following the news of the resignation in Columbus, Davidson spoke with the media again.
He was also asked what the critics had to say about the hire, to which he responded, “Maybe they were right.”
Which brings us back to Edmonton. Why is this even being considered?
Edmonton is determined to hire a Stanley Cup-winning coach. On paper, Babcock checks that box. He won with Detroit in 2008 and remains one of the most accomplished coaches of his generation, especially when you add his Olympic gold medals.
The problem is that accomplishments from nearly two decades ago carry too much weight, given more recent results. Babcock hasn’t coached an NHL game since 2019 and hasn’t won a playoff round since 2013.
Kris Knoblauch has won more playoff games over the past two seasons than Babcock has over the past decade. At some point, a coach’s recent track record has to matter more than a ring earned 18 years ago.
Babcock had his time in the NHL, but now it’s over, and the Oilers don’t need to open up this case again. All of this is only happening because they haven’t had the chance to speak with Cassidy yet, which is another layer of this.
Why wouldn’t they wait until the final is over? Is another week or so without a head coach going to make that much of a difference? Likely not. Plus, then it won’t come with the headache of asking the Players Association if they’re cool with you hiring a coach who has bullied many of their members.
Even if you wait to see whether Vegas gives you permission next week and they still say no, there is no one else in the NHL actively trying to hire Babcock. The only other opening is in Toronto, and why would they want him back?
Brendan Shanahan said after they relieved Babcock that his coaching tactics were not “appropriate or acceptable,” and that was seven years ago.
Edmonton clearly values a coach with a Stanley Cup-winning pedigree, which the majority of the fan base wants, too. What is harder to understand is why they appear willing to overlook so much baggage in pursuit of it.
The warning signs were there, just like they were for the Blue Jackets three years ago.
The Oilers now have the chance to avoid making the same mistake, but don’t expect them to do so.
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