Reports surrounding the Edmonton Oilers and the veteran coach Mike Babcock have drawn immediate criticism across the NHL. The 63-year-old coach has not worked in a regular-season NHL game since he was dismissed by the Toronto Maple Leafs during the 2019-20 season. 

According to TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger, the Oilers are now discussing with the NHL Players' Association if hiring Babcock as their head coach is the right thing to do. 

"With essentially a one-year McDavid window, the Oilers are hiring a guy who hasn't coached an NHL game in 7 years," Dreger wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

"He got fired from his last job before even stepping behind the bench; that would legitimately be one of the most insane management decisions of all time."

While Blackburn's criticism was mainly surrounded by Edmonton's pressure to use its opportunity with Connor McDavid to the maximum, he is set to enter an important stage of his contract situation. This remains the team's top priority moving forward.

Babcock attempted to make a comeback with the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2023, but it ended quickly. He resigned in between allegations that he had asked players to show him personal photos from their cell phones during introductory meetings. 

Despite all that, Edmonton has reportedly been moving toward Babcock, as they are in the fourth week of their search. 

Babcock's résumé is very advanced. He had worked in NHL seasons with the Anaheim Mighty Ducks, Detroit Red Wings, and Toronto Maple Leafs.

He has 700 regular-season wins and won the Stanley Cup with Detroit in 2008. Babcock also coached Canada to back-to-back Olympic gold medals in 2010 and 2014. 

His last NHL head coaching job was with the Leafs. They fired him in November 2019 after a 9-10-4 start in that season. 

The Oilers have been without a permanent head coach since firing Kris Knoblauch earlier this offseason. They did try to pursue the former Vegas Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy. But they were denied permission to negotiate with him while he remains under contract with Vegas. 

The possibility of hiring Babcock has generated strong reactions because Edmonton is operating under a huge of pressure right now. They’re trying hard to remain a Stanley Cup contender while building around Connor McDavid's future with the franchise. 

Why Connor McDavid's Timeline Matters

After being eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the Anaheim Ducks, the Oilers moved quickly to seek a new direction behind the bench.

As part of that search, Babcock has already begun discussions with core members within the organization. According to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, Babcock has spoken directly with Oilers owner Daryl Katz and has also met with several members of the team's core group. Those conversations are ongoing, and no player objections have been reported.

The Oilers' star center, Connor McDavid, signed a two-year contract extension that starts in the next season. This gave Edmonton a good window to give him what he wants before he becomes a free agent.

After being eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the Anaheim Ducks, the Oilers moved quickly to change their coach and to change the guidance they were getting till then.

The public’s reaction to this move taken by the Oilers is still very critical. As the fans openly expressed their dislike over this hire and his gap in experience. 

The NHLPA has so far declined to comment on anything publicly. Edmonton's search continues, with the Babcock situation remaining unresolved.

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Written by

Aadhya Nalla

Edited by

Ankita Yadav