The Edmonton Oilers’ decision to bring in Mike Babcock turned heads across the league, and not just because it arrived so suddenly. For a while, Bruce Cassidy was floated as a possibility.
There was also chatter about Colin Chaulk, who coaches the Bakersfield Condors in the American Hockey League, and even Peter Laviolette before he landed with the Los Angeles Kings. Instead, the Oilers’ leadership group settled on Babcock, a coach with a complicated reputation who had barely been part of the conversation.
Edmonton believes Babcock is the right voice for the job. The organization has said throughout the offseason that he is the coach who can hold everyone equally accountable and help push the team toward a championship. But analyst Bryan Hayes offered a different explanation, suggesting the Oilers brought in Babcock to shift attention away from Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.
Will Mike Babcock be a good fit as Oilers head coach? Bryan Hayes (@HayesTSN) joins @JayOnrait to discuss. pic.twitter.com/eUhJrgep2r
- JayOnSC (@JayOnSC) September 22, 2026
That theory feels like a stretch. The noise around McDavid and Draisaitl hasn’t eased up, and Babcock’s arrival is unlikely to make it disappear.
McDavid’s future remains a daily talking point around the league because he is on a short-term deal and could reach free agency when it ends. Draisaitl is locked in through the 2032-33 season, but questions still linger about whether he might eventually want out if Edmonton can’t win a Stanley Cup in the next couple of years and McDavid departs.
The speculation keeps piling up. Mock trades sending McDavid to the Toronto Maple Leafs, the New York Rangers, or other teams pop up constantly as fans imagine what it would take to land him. In that context, saying the Babcock hire takes pressure off the superstar duo feels, at best, questionable.
What is clear is that this season matters a great deal for Edmonton. It could be a make-or-break campaign, and the consequences of another stumble would be serious. If the Oilers don’t make a deep playoff run, next offseason could bring major questions and possibly a full shakeup.
They have at most two seasons to prove they can stay in contender status, or they risk losing McDavid in some fashion. If this year goes sideways, talk about a trade could become more than just noise, even if that remains unlikely for now.
The roster still has the depth and scoring punch to win the Stanley Cup, but that alone won’t be enough. The Oilers will need plenty to break their way, and they’ll have to be aggressive at the trade deadline to bring in exactly what they need. Otherwise, another long summer could be waiting in Edmonton.
In Other News...
Oilers Coaching Move Suddenly Feels Tied To A Much Bigger Concern
The latest coaching chatter around Edmonton has taken on a sharper edge because it is no longer just about who will be behind the bench. With Mike Babcock in the conversation, the Oilers are being discussed in a way that reaches beyond tactics and into the larger business of managing expectations, headlines and pressure around the franchise's biggest name.
TSN's Bryan Hayes drew a direct line between the coaching move and the noise surrounding Connor McDavids contract situation, suggesting the timing was about more than a simple hockey decision. He also noted how the public praise surrounding Babcock has already shifted attention away from Kris Knoblauchs run to the Cup Final, which only adds to the sense that Edmontons offseason storylines are stacking up fast. [Read more 🡒]
Oilers Fans Have One Huge Reason To Worry About Hellebuyck
Connor Hellebuycks situation has become one of the more intriguing sideshows around the Jets as camp approaches, and Oilers fans have every reason to keep an eye on it. The Winnipeg goalie has asked for a trade and has not reported while he waits for a deal, leaving plenty of room for speculation about where he could land and how aggressive teams might be if they believe a top-tier option is actually available.
For Edmonton, the interest is obvious, because a goaltender of Hellebuycks caliber would change the conversation in a hurry. The Jets are still holding firm on getting the right return, though, and the list of possibilities is wide enough to keep the story moving, with no clear resolution yet on whether Winnipeg keeps him, moves him, or sends him elsewhere. [Read more 🡒]
Ike Howards Early Oilers Role Is Raising An Uncomfortable Question
Ike Howards early run with the Oilers has already become a useful little test case for how Edmonton wants to deploy its young talent. In a recent game, he skated on a line with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Zach Hyman and showed some encouraging signs, contributing with a few notable passes and defensive plays that suggested he can handle real responsibility at the NHL level.
Still, the fit only sharpens the larger question around where Howard ultimately belongs in the lineup. He looks like the sort of winger who could benefit from a longer runway alongside Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl, but Edmonton also has to decide how long it can wait for production to catch up to potential, especially if the early return does not come fast enough for a team trying to stay in the window of contention. [Read more 🡒]