Mike Babcock’s arrival in Edmonton has already given the Oilers something they badly needed: a steadier feel behind the bench and a sharper edge on the ice.
It’s still early, and his name will always carry baggage for plenty of hockey fans, Oilers fans included. But through the first four games, the hire has worked out well for Edmonton.
The team opened with two messy games against the Vancouver Canucks, then tightened things up defensively in its last two outings. The result is a 3-0-1 start, no regulation losses, and a second-place spot in the Pacific Division.
For a fan base that has watched this team stumble out of the gate in past seasons, that kind of start matters. After what was described as an extremely disappointing 2025-26 season, confidence around the Oilers has started to climb again. A team that looked like its window might have slammed shut is suddenly being talked about as a Stanley Cup contender.
It’s too soon to pin everything on Babcock, but the change from Kris Knoblauch to Babcock behind the bench has clearly been a good one for GM Stan Bowman and his staff.
Babcock has also made an impression in how he handles himself with the media. He has used humor to ease into press conferences, and he has avoided singling out one specific problem area when discussing the team. That showed up when he was asked whether the goals against were more about defensive breakdowns or goaltending.
“I think it’s coaching. I think it’s coaching,” Babcock said with a grin before departing to head onto the ice for practice.
He has also been direct about what needs fixing. Babcock has said the Oilers need to play a much more defensive-minded game, and he has repeated that every player needs a defined role. That kind of clarity stands out.
Oilers fans would tell you it’s a major shift from Knoblauch. Edmonton got off to a solid start under him, but last season it became obvious he was in over his head.
Where Babcock comes across as confident and clear in front of reporters, Knoblauch often looked overwhelmed and short on answers. That uncertainty seemed to spill onto the ice, and the team never really found its footing.
Even so, the Oilers are not close to being finished products. Four games is a tiny sample, and there will be rough patches as Babcock continues installing his system. Edmonton still has real questions in goal, and tougher offensive tests are coming.
But the early signs are encouraging. The Oilers look more organized defensively, and their coach has brought a level of confidence and accountability that can help build a winning culture. After last season’s inconsistency, that alone is a step forward.
Babcock will have critics no matter what happens next, and his past will keep that conversation alive. Still, if he can get this roster playing to its potential while keeping the defensive structure intact, Edmonton fans may stop dwelling on everything that came before. Four games do not define a season, but so far, Babcock has looked like the kind of change the Oilers needed.
In Other News...
Oilers Start Is Raising One Big Lineup Question
The Oilers kept their strong start rolling with a win over the Sharks, moving to 4-0-1 and giving their early-season lineup decisions a little more weight. With Zach Hyman nearing a return, Edmonton is getting close to having another important forward back in the mix, which always changes the conversation around ice time, line combinations and who gets squeezed when everyone is healthy.
One player who may have helped his case is rookie Owen Michaels, who saw a larger role and made the most of his night in the faceoff circle. For a team trying to balance momentum with the realities of a crowded roster, those are the kinds of small developments that can turn into a much bigger question before long. [Read more 🡒]
Oilers Unbeaten Start Faces Its Biggest Test With Goaltending Under Pressure
Edmontons unbeaten start has given the club a little early breathing room, but the schedule is about to ask for a lot more. Fresh off wins over the Anaheim Ducks and San Jose Sharks, the Oilers are the NHLs lone team without a regulation loss, a status that says as much about their resilience as it does about how quickly the season can turn once the games tighten up.
The next stretch is a real measuring stick, with a matchup against the Los Angeles Kings followed by a home-and-home series with the Utah Mammoth. As the games get tougher, the focus inside the room has turned to goaltending, where the Oilers know they will need cleaner stops if they want this fast start to mean something deeper than a nice opening run. [Read more 🡒]
Oilers Suddenly Face A Tough Call On A Possible Flyers Deal
Philadelphias slow start has only added fuel to the trade chatter, and around the league it has naturally pushed the Flyers into the conversation as a possible source of help for Edmonton. The Oilers are always watching for ways to improve, but this is one of those situations where the idea is easier to float than to execute, especially with the club already having to account for the cap and the pieces it would take to make a move work.
For Edmonton, the appeal is obvious enough: a winger from a struggling roster can look like a fit on paper when a contender is looking for an upgrade. But the Oilers also have to balance urgency against timing, because roster decisions do not happen in a vacuum, and any serious trade discussion would have to clear more than one hurdle before it ever became real. [Read more 🡒]