The Edmonton Oilers announced the hiring of Mike Babcock as their new head coach, a move that comes after the National Hockey League cleared him following an investigation into his brief, aborted tenure with the Columbus Blue Jackets.
A Controversial Return
Commissioner Gary Bettman said the league’s review found no basis to bar Babcock from the bench, a decision that was welcomed by Oilers CEO Jeff Jackson, who stressed that experience and accountability mattered most.
Babcock, who last coached in the NHL after being dismissed by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2019, will now try to steer Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl toward a Stanley Cup, a goal he shares with the franchise’s leadership.
The hiring has sparked criticism from several former players, including Johan Franzen, Mike Commodore and Daniel Winnik, who have accused Babcock of bullying and of demanding personal photos from athletes, an invasion of privacy that still resonates in the locker room.
Even Mitch Marner, who spent years under Babcock’s system in Toronto, weighed in, noting that the coach’s polarizing style can be both motivating and divisive.
Before the appointment, the Oilers consulted Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Zach Hyman, seeking their input on a coach who would complement their star talent.
The club also named D.J. Smith, a former assistant who once worked under Babcock, as an associate coach, adding continuity to the new staff.
The move comes after the team dismissed Kris Knoblauch, who had guided them to back‑to‑back Cup finals, and after the franchise was denied permission to interview Bruce Cassidy, the 2023 champion coach of the Vegas Golden Knights.