Before Mike Babcock coached a game for the Columbus Blue Jackets, he was dismissed from the organization.
Now, he steps into his fourth head coaching job in the NHL with the Edmonton Oilers in a few weeks at training camp.
According to star forward Leon Draisaitl, this is the coach that the Oilers need to get over the hump. They believe he can help them win a championship.
“We asked all of the hard questions that media would probably ask him, too,” Draisaitl told The Athletic’s Chris Johnston during the NHL’s European Player Media Tour.
“He had some very honest feedback on us, too. It was a very honest, productive meeting, and it was very on the table. There was no beating around the bush.
Despite his early dismissal from the Blue Jackets, Babcock gained enough confidence of the Oilers’ front office. Now he will lead their team back to a Stanley Cup.
Edmonton’s leadership believes Babcock was the right hire
“It was pretty clear pretty quick that he could be our guy,” Draisaitl told Johnston.
“Just in what he sees, and his attitude towards us — you know, the leaders on the team that want to be coached and that want to be held accountable. I think it’s just what was needed. We had some great meetings with him and then, yeah, it just kind of took off from there.”
Both Babcock and the Oilers have a lot at risk as this marriage begins. For Babcock, it’s a chance at redeeming his mistakes. However, for the Oilers, it’s a matter of winning their 6th Stanley Cup with superstars like Draisaitl and Connor McDavid.
Edmonton’s captain enters the 2026-27 season with 2 more years left on his contract. This period is essentially the championship window for the Oilers given how their roster is currently constructed.
Perhaps hiring Babcock, who led the Detroit Red Wings to a championship in 2008, can be enough to excite Edmonton’s locker room. An authoritative voice with a new vision ought to bring that emotion out on and off the ice.
Babcock’s methods have been questioned before, and how he treats his players. One example in Detroit was him benching Mike Modano and denying him the chance to play 1,500 career games.
In Toronto, during Mitch Marner’s rookie season, he had him write out a confidential list ranking his teammates. Then Babcock revealed the list to veteran players even after doing that exercise in private.
The cherry on top of Babcock’s actions of late, at least, is what he was doing at the genesis of his time in Columbus.
Blue Jackets players were reporting to the NHLPA that Babcock coerced them into handing over their personal cell phones. He wanted to get to know his players by thumbing through their phones.
Edmonton seems to have done its homework enough on Babcock to feel like he won’t invade the privacy of the players.
They do want Babcock to bring the best out of the team. They also want him to challenge the best players to buy into what he feels will push them to become Stanley Cup champions.
That’s something Canada hasn’t had since 1993, and Babcock could help guide Edmonton to breaking the 34-year drought.
Draisaitl also told The Athletic that the Oilers do expect the level of accountability Babcock offers. Furthermore, he wants hard atmospheres to feel normal by the time the playoffs arrive.
“I think he’s going to really help our group. I think the timing is right,” Draisaitl said.
“I’ve been fortunate to have won some personal trophies, and that’s all nice, and I’m proud of it and all that, but at the end of the day I play a team sport, and I want to be remembered as a Stanley Cup winner.”
Follow Nick Kieser on Twitter/X: @KieserNick
Edmonton Star Forward Speaks about Coach Mike Babcock