Opinion: Would The Edmonton Oilers Hiring Mike Babcock Really Be Worth It?

For as long as superstar centers Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl have been cornerstone members of the Edmonton Oilers, the clock has been ticking on the organization to win a Stanley Cup.

In their pursuit of a championship, the Oilers have made a few regrettable decisions – but none could be more regrettable than Edmonton's reported attempt to hire veteran coach Mike Babcock.

After a slew of allegations centered on his substandard treatment of his players, Babcock was virtually radioactive after being hired by the Columbus Blue Jackets in July 2023 and resigning 10 weeks later.

It's important to stress that Babcock didn't do anything illegal. But the details of hyper-aggressive actions with players that have become public cast Babcock in a negative light.

The NHL announced Thursday it completed its investigation of Babcock's alleged conduct in Columbus, and it said more than simply clearing him to coach.

"Our investigation has concluded that, even in a light least favorable to Mr. Babcock, there is no current basis to restrict his employment in the league," the NHL said.

Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman then reported the Oilers were going to formally begin the process of hiring him as their next coach, with the timeline appearing to be early next week.

It all feels like a massive PR challenge just starting to unfold.

Yes, the Oilers want to win the Stanley Cup, and if the reports are true, they want a no-nonsense, demanding coach who's hardcore. And yes, the Vegas Golden Knights haven't let them talk to Bruce Cassidy.

There were a lot of other options out there for Bowman, though. He could've hired a veteran like former Minnesota Wild coach Dean Evason. He could've picked former New York Islanders coach Patrick Roy, or if he really wanted to go all-in, Bowman could've picked outgoing Golden Knights coach John Tortorella.

We're not saying any of those veteran coaches would've been the one who could've pushed Edmonton into the Stanley Cup final next spring, but they all largely fit the type of coach the Oilers want.

That said, hiring Babcock feels like Bowman has willingly picked up a stack of dynamite.

With any coach Edmonton could hire, getting off to a strong start is important, and not winning the Stanley Cup will lead to questions about their performance.

With Babcock, it's win or bust.

Imagine what will take place if the Oilers under Babcock come out of the gate 5-15-0 in their first 20 games. In fact, imagine what will happen if Edmonton doesn't come out of the gate leading the relatively weak Pacific Division. The critics will come out of the woodwork like never before.

And what will Oilers GM Stan Bowman say then? That Babcock has won a Cup, and that's what makes his old-school approach defensible? As if that justifies hiring a coach in Babcock who hasn't won a playoff round since 2013.

Some of you might think Edmonton is making a Vegas Golden Knights-type cold-blooded move, but the potential for this Babcock hiring to backfire is tremendous. The Oilers may have wanted Cassidy as their successor to Kris Knoblauch, but Vegas has exercised its contractual right to prevent Cassidy from signing with any team of its choosing while he's under contract.

In any case, if hiring Babcock feels like a desperate move for Edmonton, that's because it is. Bowman has pushed his chips behind a coach who's been criticized by many players who have played under him.

In fairness, every coach has at least a few players who didn't enjoy playing for them. But this is different. The ferocity with which Mike Commodore, Johan Franzen, Daniel Winnik and others have talked about Babcock separates the coach from the rest of the coaching field and not in a good way. 

You can say Babcock is a proven winner at every level. That's true. He also said back in July 2023, a few months before his resignation, that his break from the NHL gave him a chance to see what he was doing and understand he needed to change.

But at some point, teams must be held responsible for their decisions, and this is what we must remember with Babcock and the Oilers. Edmonton has reportedly decided, of its own volition, to hire someone whose alleged conduct in Columbus was described as "in a light least favorable to Mr. Babcock" by the NHL. And if it goes sideways for them next year, the Oilers will have no excuses for desperately choosing a coach whose best-before date has passed.

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