Oilers’ Coach Babcock Appears to Have Found His New Whipping Boy

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Edmonton Oilers head coach Mike Babcock has had his fair share of whipping boys throughout his career.

Well, it appears as though he’s found his first one in Edmonton.

Jake Walman has found himself drawing the ire of Babcock early in the Oilers season. The 30-year-old defenceman is in the first year of a seven-year, $49 million contract, yet he can’t find a regular spot in the lineup.

Walman is once again watched from the press box on Monday, marking the fifth time in seven games that the defenceman has been made a healthy scratch.

Babcock Sounds Off on Oilers’ Walman, Takes Shot at Reporters Too

The 30-year-old has struggled to establish himself under Babcock, recording just one assist in 11 games this season while posting a minus-eight rating. Edmonton has been outscored 11-3 with Walman on the ice at five-on-five.

Babcock hasn’t exactly hidden his frustration.

“I just think the bottom line is: what do you do without the puck?” Babcock explained on Monday after the latest Walman scratch.

“What chances are you involved in? What do you do when you have it?”

“It’s a hard, hard league, and so each and every night, we evaluate the whole situation.”

Babcock also took a pointed shot at outside evaluations of the team’s players, suggesting the coaching staff has a different perspective after repeatedly reviewing game footage.

“Unlike you guys who watch it once, we watch it over and over again with five people, and so we’ve got a pretty good handle on the thing,” he said.

It’s difficult to interpret that as anything other than a coach who believes Walman’s performances have fallen well short of the required standard.

Mike Babcock Has Made It Clear Jake Walman Must Earn Spot

This isn’t the first time Babcock has publicly challenged Walman.

Earlier in the season, the Oilers coach discussed the defenseman’s repeated mistakes and the importance of responding to adversity rather than feeling sorry for himself.

“You’re going to put your work boots on and get back to work, and you’re going to feel good about working hard that day,” Babcock said. “And then when you get prepared for your opportunity, when you get it, you’re normally ready.”

It’s fair to wonder if injuries have limited Walman’s effectiveness. He’s recorded zero hits in 11 games this season, something that’s pretty tough to do as a regular NHL defenceman.

However, Walman isn’t that far removed from being an impact player. He recorded 40 points in 65 games during the 2024-25 season between San Jose and Edmonton, along with 10 points in 22 games for the Oilers during their 2025 Stanley Cup run.

But Babcock clearly wants more than offensive contributions. His comments suggest that defensive details, positioning, and limiting scoring chances are the areas preventing Walman from earning consistent playing time.

The Oilers have championship expectations, and Babcock appears determined to make examples of players who aren’t meeting his standards.

That being said, Babcock always seems to have a whipping boy wherever he goes. And the Oilers as a whole have played subpar hockey when Connor McDavid’s line is on the ice.

At five-on-five, Edmonton has been outscored 30-18 when the McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Vasily Podkolzin line is on the bench.

Maybe it’s more of a team problem than a Walman issue. Regardless, he’s the first guy to end up in Babcock’s Hound Hotel this season.