Leon Draisaitl says the Oilers are already getting exactly what they signed up for from Mike Babcock.
After Thursday’s on-ice session, Draisaitl described the new coach as blunt, direct and clear in the way he’s been talking to the team. The message, according to Draisaitl, has landed well in Edmonton’s room.
“It’s been great so far. He’s been awesome with us.
He’s been communicating really well,” said Draisaitl after Thursday’s on-ice session. “I’m excited to learn from him, I think we’re all extremely excited to be around him and get to work.”
Draisaitl, who is part of the leadership group that pushed for a more direct, no-nonsense coach, said Babcock has already been speaking to players face to face and telling them exactly what he thinks this group needs.
“He’s a real man about it. We’re all men in here, and we all want to win; we’re all here for the same reason, and I think he’s going to be great for us.”
Babcock hasn’t been on the ice with the team during these first few days of skates, and rookie camp begins tomorrow, which likely won’t include him either. Even so, he’s been active in conversations with the players and the leadership group, and Draisaitl said that tone has been steady from the start of the summer through the team’s initial meeting.
That’s the kind of coach the Oilers wanted: someone willing to tell it straight and make the hard call, even if it means challenging what players might feel in the moment.
For now, the early read is positive. The Oilers are getting the directness they wanted, and the first response inside the room has been encouraging. The only question left is whether that carries over once the season gets difficult.
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