NHL clears Mike Babcock for Edmonton Oilers appointment after investigation
The 63-year-old coach, who led Detroit to the 2008 Stanley Cup, takes over a squad featuring Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl following the dismissal of Kris Knoblauch.
The Edmonton Oilers have appointed Mike Babcock as their head coach, a decision that follows clearance from the National Hockey League (NHL) regarding his previous tenure with the Columbus Blue Jackets. The league confirmed last week that there were no barriers to Babcock’s employment, concluding an investigation prompted by the NHL Players' Association after Edmonton expressed interest in the 63-year-old.
Babcock’s appointment comes after the Oilers were unable to secure Vegas Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy, who remains under contract despite being dismissed in March. The search for a replacement intensified after Kris Knoblauch, who guided Edmonton to consecutive Stanley Cup finals in 2024 and 2025, was dismissed. Babcock was selected following the denial of permission from division rivals to interview Cassidy.
The NHL stated it found nothing to prevent Babcock from taking the role, despite his ill-fated 2023 stint in Columbus that ended without him coaching a game. That tenure concluded in September 2023 after criticism arose over his requests for personal photos from players, which were characterised as an invasion of privacy.
Babcock brings significant historical precedent to the position, having led the Detroit Red Wings to the Stanley Cup in 2008 and reached the final in 2009. He also guided Team Canada to back-to-back Olympic gold medals in 2010 and 2014. His career record includes 700 regular-season and 90 playoff victories, ranking 12th and 10th respectively in NHL history.
However, the appointment has drawn sharp criticism from former players regarding his management style. Retired players Mike Commodore and Daniel Winnik have publicly described Babcock as abusive, with Winnik stating the coach was the only person who made him hate hockey. Former Red Wings player Johan Franzen has also spoken out, describing Babcock as the worst person he had ever met.
Babcock has not coached an NHL game since being fired by the Toronto Maple Leafs 23 games into the 2019-20 season. During that period, reports surfaced that he asked Mitch Marner to rank teammates by work ethic and shared those rankings with the group. The Oilers now task Babcock with leading Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl to a Stanley Cup victory, a goal the franchise has missed for a decade.
