Mike Babcock Discusses Blue Jackets Resignation After Signing Oilers HC Contract

Mike Babcock made his expectations clear to three members of the Edmonton Oilers before accepting their coaching job.

The Oilers announced Tuesday they're bringing Babcock aboard.

As part of his hiring process, the 63-year-old spoke to team leaders Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Zach Hyman. He told reporters they had a candid discussion about what wasn't working and what's needed to improve:

Edmonton had to wait until the NHL concluded an investigation into the circumstances behind Babcock's departure from the Columbus Blue Jackets. He left without having coached a game for the team.

The league didn't find any reason to prevent him from coaching again, which cleared the final major hurdle for the Oilers.

"I hadn't benched anybody, I hadn't talked to anybody, I hadn't sat anybody out and it was evident that we weren't together as a staff right from the get-go," Babcock said of his Blue Jackets experience.

He went on to say he didn't think he went to any extremes in his interactions with personnel in Columbus.

"No, to be honest with you, anytime you make anybody feel uncomfortable in your life, you should take a look at yourself and you should say, 'How could I do that better?'" Babcock told reporters.

"And I think that's what you do, is as a person, is you try to always be better at what you do. The situation in Columbus, they've had a full review, and I'm thankful, NHL and NHLPA, for doing that. It didn't work out for us. We're excited about making it work here."

Babcock replaces Kris Knoblauch, who was fired in May after the Oilers' first-round elimination by the Anaheim Ducks.

The Oilers went 41-30-11 and finished last season ranked second in the Pacific Division, but were ultimately unable to overcome injuries to both McDavid and Draisaitl in the playoffs.

Knoblauch was originally hired in November 2023 as a midseason replacement for former Oilers coach Jay Woodcroft.

He led the Oilers to the Cup Final in each of his first two seasons at the helm, but saw his team lose to the Florida Panthers both times.

The Oilers came as close as Game 7 last spring before conceding a second straight championship series loss.

Knoblauch departed having led the team to a 135-77-21 overall record (.624 points percentage) with two Western Conference championships but no Cups.

Whether Babcock is able to take the Oilers closer to a title in 2027 could play a crucial role in McDavid's future with the franchise.

McDavid signed a two-year, $12.5 million AAV extension last October at below market value in the hope the Oilers would be able to build a championship team around him.

Despite icing two of the league's top scorers in McDavid and Draisaitl, however, the Oilers have been unable to fit together the supporting pieces for a championship run.

Helping McDavid lift the Stanley Cup for the first time will be key to making sure the Oilers captain signs another extension when he becomes eligible in summer 2027.