One of the main storylines during the 2026 NHL offseason was the major change in leadership made by the Edmonton Oilers that saw them dismiss head coach Kris Knoblauch and assistant Mark Stuart, and replace them with Mike Babcock and DJ Smith.
Babcock had most recently been in the NHL as head coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets, but resigned without ever coaching a single game after reports of alleged invasions of player privacy. Following an investigation by the NHL into his reported conduct, he was given the green light for employment in the League, and was hired as the bench boss of the Oilers.
So far, the Oilers are the only club in the NHL’s Pacific Division without a regulation loss, and according to star captain Connor McDavid, Babcock is making a considerable difference.
Connor McDavid Has Blunt Assessment Of Mike Babcock’s Effect On The Edmonton Oilers
According to McDavid, not long after he posted four points in Edmonton’s win over the divisional rival Los Angeles Kings, the Oilers are more upbeat and have elevated energy levels.
“I notice I see a team that’s upbeat; I see a team that’s energetic, has speed, is aggressive and wins a lot of puck battles,” McDavid said. “Those are all great things, and if you do those things night after night, you’re going to put together some wins.”
Meanwhile, fellow star Leon Draisaitl noted the particular pushback that his team had during another game on the Western road swing against the Anaheim Ducks.
“When you feel that you don’t have your legs,” Draisaitl said. “You feel like you’re getting pushed into your own end by their speed a little bit – and we’re all men, we all want to be better, we want to be at our best – and I thought we pushed back hard and we did it the right way.”
So far, the Babcock experiment seems to be working with the Oilers.
Mike Babcock Was Endorsed By Edmonton’s Leadership Group
While Babcock’s hiring seemed controversial at the time, McDavid said that he believed that the veteran bench boss would bring a new level of accountability to a club that needed it, especially after their first round defeat in the playoffs following consecutive Stanley Cup Final appearances.
Connor McDavid Shares Blunt Mike Babcock Assessment