Nathan Smith
The Edmonton Oilers were in back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals in 2024 and 2025, but this past season, they took a major step backwards. Not only were they worse in the regular season (101 points in 2024/25 down to 93 in 2025/26), but they struggled in the Stanley Cup Playoffs too, being eliminated in round one by the Anaheim Ducks.
That’s led to plenty of speculation this off-season, but it also led to the team firing Kris Knoblauch from his role as Head Coach. Across 233 games with the Oilers, Knoblauch’s time there comes to an end after a regular-season record of 135-77-21, with his stint ultimately being a disappointment given their shortcomings in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
While Knoblauch was fired on May 14th, the Oilers are no closer to naming a new Head Coach, mainly due to the drama involving Bruce Cassidy, who has not been granted permission to talk to Edmonton by their division rival, the Vegas Golden Knights.
With the 2026 NHL Draft, free agency, and the trade period all looming, the Oilers potential candidates are becoming slimmer every day, but they’ve reportedly narrowed things down.
Edmonton Oilers talking to Mike Babcock about head coach job
Then on Monday, several reports came out surrounding the Oilers and Head Coach candidate Mike Babcock, and according to TSN’s Darren Dreger, the team is consulting with the NHLPA to see if there could be potential roadblocks in hiring Babcock.
Later in the day, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman confirmed the reports, while also revealing that while the decision remains solely with the front office, top players such as Connor McDavid have been consulted on the potential hire.
Why Babcock hire would be controversial
During his days with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Babcock’s old-school coaching technique came under heavy scrutiny, with players like a young Mitch Marner especially feeling the heat from the veteran coach. As a result, he was fired by the team despite solid results and was then hired by the Columbus Blue Jackets, where things got even worse.
Just weeks into his tenure, Babcock was fired by the organization for inappropriate conduct towards players, and since that occurred on September 17, 2023, he has yet to find a new role in the National Hockey League. Clearly, Edmonton sees him as a piece that can take this team over the top with potentially just two years left in Connor McDavid’s tenure with the team, and while it’s not official yet, the Oilers are taking some serious steps towards hiring the controversial figure.
