The Edmonton Oilers formally introduced Mike Babcock as their new head coach on Tuesday, turning to the veteran bench boss after general manager Stan Bowman dismissed Kris Knoblauch and assistant coach Mark Stuart in the aftermath of the club’s Western Conference Quarterfinal loss to the Anaheim Ducks earlier this year. Yet Babcock’s return behind an NHL bench is certain to invite scrutiny.
Fans of the Toronto Maple Leafs know all about Babcock, who was hired in 2015 to what was at the time the richest contract in NHL history for a head coach, and he would eventually be let go in November 2019 after the club got off to an inconsistent start to the season.
His tenure with the Columbus Blue Jackets ended before it ever began three years ago amid allegations that he improperly accessed players’ personal content on their mobile devices, prompting his resignation. And if the goal of his introductory press conference was to ease lingering concerns about that controversy, Babcock may have done the opposite.
Former Toronto Maple Leafs Coach Mike Babcock Denied Wrongdoing In Columbus
Babcock addressed his prompt resignation from the Blue Jackets, saying that it was because “we weren’t together as a staff”.
“It was very evident before the year started…I hadn’t benched anybody, I hadn’t talked to anybody, I hadn’t sat anybody out, and it was evident that we weren’t together as a staff right from the get-go,” he said. “My wife gave me a call, and she said it’s time to get out of there. I’ve been retired, I was pretty good at it. I got back to being retired.”
Babcock was then asked directly if he felt as if he had crossed a line, to which he answered in the negative.
“No, to be honest with you, anytime you make anybody feel uncomfortable in your life, you should take a look at yourself and you should say, ‘How could I do that better?’
“And I think that’s what you do, is as a person, is you try to always be better at what you do. The situation in Columbus, they’ve had a full review, and I’m thankful, NHL and NHLPA, for doing that. It didn’t work out for us. We’re excited about making it work here.”
Oilers GM Stan Bowman Wanted An Experienced Head Coach
Oilers GM Stan Bowman, who is facing increased scrutiny for hiring Babcock, said that he wanted an experienced head coach.
“The last two coaches that the Oilers had hired were first-time coaches,” Bowman said, referring to Knoblauch and Jay Woodcroft, “and I think at the time that they were brought in, it made a lot of sense, and it was a really good fit.
“I think you have to look at where the organization is right now, and at this moment in time, I think we need something different than we had before. This is a hockey market here, the fans are passionate, the expectations are high, so we were looking for somebody that clearly had experience and also had a winning pedigree. That was important.”
Former Maple Leafs Coach Mike Babcock Dodges Accountability In Oilers Presser