Nathan Smith
Back on May 14th, shortly after their 2026 season came to an end, the Edmonton Oilers swiftly parted ways with Head Coach Kris Knoblauch. This came after he led them to the Stanley Cup Finals in back-to-back seasons, but with no victory in hand, the sky-high expectations cost Knoblauch his job.
With the likes of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl in the middle of their primes, whoever the Oilers’ next coach is will be met with those same expectations, as many believe this is a team that should have already won a Stanley Cup with their core group.
Then it was reported by TSN’s Darren Dreger, among others, that the team is pursuing former Toronto Maple Leafs Head Coach Mike Babcock, who has not been in the NHL since parting ways with the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2023.
However, that has hit a major roadblock, as the team is awaiting the NHLPA’s investigation into Babcock’s firing, which could hinder their ability to hire the 63-year-old veteran coach. After initially reaching out to the NHLPA, the Players Association has now inquired with the NHL about whether Babcock’s return would be greenlit, and if it is, the Oilers are prepared to make him their next Head Coach.
Another Roadblock Hits the Oilers Ahead of Potential Hire
That roadblock has only been exaggerated on Wednesday, as it has now come out that the public reason Babcock was let go from the Blue Jackets may not be the reason at all, but instead, there may be a much deeper meaning behind his firing, according to Frank Seravalli.
In his latest report, Seravalli reveals that there is a publicly unknown reason why Babcock was fired from Columbus, and while it’s unclear what that currently is, the reasoning is now being investigated by the NHL and the NHLPA. The situation with the veteran Head Coach was already bad enough in Columbus, as players were outraged when he forced them to show him private photos on their phones, but now, this adds another layer to one of the strangest coaching stories we’ve seen in the league in years.
Regardless of how this plays out, the Oilers’ pursuit of Babcock is truly shocking, and if it turns out that much worse went down with the veteran coach in Columbus, Edmonton may eventually be forced to pull out of hiring him as their next Head Coach.
