Leon Draisaitl’s enthusiastic words about new Edmonton Oilers coach Mike Babcock set off a pointed debate on TSN’s Overdrive, with the reaction quickly turning into skepticism about both the Oilers and where they stand as a team.
After Wednesday’s skate, Draisaitl made it clear he likes what Babcock brings.
“He’s just so clear,” said the Oilers star player. “He knows what this team needs and he doesn’t shy away from telling you straight to your face.
He’s a real man about it. And we’re all men in here.
And we want to win. We’re all here for the same reason.
I think he’s going to be great to us.”
That praise became the centerpiece of the radio discussion, where host Jason Strudwick, Jeff O’Neill, and Jamie McLennan all weighed in. Hayes called the Oilers’ tone around Babcock “bizarre,” pointing to the language Draisaitl used and asking what Kris Knoblauch had done to trigger that kind of response.
“It’s like they’ve been brainwashed or something,” said O’Neill, who also pushed back in defense of Knoblauch by noting the former coach had taken the Oilers to two Stanley Cup Finals.
McLennan read Draisaitl’s comments as a sign that Edmonton’s top players want a firmer voice behind the bench, someone willing to call them out and make it clear what needs to change. He also pointed to the goals the Oilers allowed last season when McDavid and Draisaitl were on the ice.
O’Neill countered that Babcock has a history of easing up on star players. “It was everybody else that got the jolts.”
The conversation then shifted to whether Edmonton can actually be viewed as a serious contender. O’Neill was blunt.
“I don’t think that team in Edmonton is a Cup contender with what they’ve got around those guys (McDavid and Draisaitl). I really don’t.
I don’t see them bouncing back and being a Cup contender just because they got Frederik Andersen and they moved out Darnell Nurse? … They don’t deserve the benefit of the doubt after what they did last year.”
The broader take from the discussion was split. One view was that Draisaitl and McDavid are reading the situation correctly: the Oilers need to tighten up, especially in their own end, and last year’s team never came close to championship-level defense. Another view was that Edmonton has earned the skepticism after its meltdown, especially with age and injury becoming more of a factor.
Still, McLennan’s point lingered at the center of it all: if the Oilers are going to turn things around, their stars have to set the standard by playing better team defense.
In Other News...
Flames Preseason Suddenly Carries Real Pressure For Calgary Roster Hopefuls
The preseason usually arrives with a little theater and a lot of fine print, but this fall it carries a different kind of weight for the Flames. Ryan Huska made it clear the coming weeks matter because roster spots are there to be won, and the NHLs exhibition rules only give the established veterans so many chances to prove their case. That opens the door wider for younger players and prospects, starting with Calgarys NextGen Showcase against the Oilers, where a group of hopefuls will get an early crack at making an impression.
For a team still sorting out its depth chart, that makes every shift feel a little more consequential than usual. The Flames are using the preseason as a real evaluation window, not just a tune-up, and players on the edge of the roster know this is the period where readiness can separate a camp body from a regular-season job. The challenge now is simple in theory and unforgiving in practice: show enough, quickly enough, to make the decision impossible to ignore. [Read more 🡒]
Flames Rebuild Could Hinge On One Wranglers Name Fans Need To Track
The Flames are in the middle of a rebuild, and for now most of the organizations most interesting young players are still spread across the NCAA and junior ranks. But the next step is already starting to take shape in Calgary with the Wranglers, where a few prospects are beginning to get a real foothold in pro hockey and give the front office a better read on what this pipeline might look like when the big club gets to the tougher part of the process.
Jonathan Castagna is one of the names worth tracking closely. After finishing his college hockey career and signing his entry-level deal, he headed straight into the Flames AHL system with a chance to become more than just another depth piece. Calgary sees him as a potential middle-six center, and if he develops into that kind of reliable pro, he could end up being one of the more important pieces to watch on a Wranglers roster that matters well beyond this season. [Read more 🡒]
Flames Charity Event Shows Why This Team Means More In Calgary
The 45th annual Calgary Flames Celebrity Charity Golf Classic once again showed how deeply this franchise is woven into the citys civic life. Spread across Country Hills Golf Club and Cottonwood Golf & Country Club, the event drew a mix of Flames players, management, alumni, media members and local celebrities, all gathered for a cause that has become a staple on the teams calendar.
The day wrapped with a dinner reception that put the focus back on the Calgary Flames Foundation and the community work it supports. For a team that is judged on wins and losses every season, events like this are a reminder that the Flames' reach in Calgary extends well beyond the ice, and that the organizations connection to the city is built year-round, not just when the puck drops. [Read more 🡒]