NHL insider Darren Dreger reports that the Edmonton Oilers are conducting due diligence on former NHL head coach Mike Babcock. The team is consulting with the NHL Players' Association to determine if any objections must be resolved before potentially hiring him.
This development comes amid allegations of invading players' privacy, which led to Babcock's resignation as head coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2003. Further investigation may be required before any hiring decision is made.
Babcock's Coaching Resume
Mike Babcock was once considered one of the top coaches in the NHL. He has a trifecta of coaching championships on his resume, including a Stanley Cup with the Detroit Red Wings in 2008 and Olympic gold medals with Team Canada in 2010 and 2014. However, it has been a long time since he last coached at the NHL level. Babcock's most recent NHL coaching stint was with the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2019-20 season, and he has not won a playoff round in 12 years.
Context and Analysis
Adding perspective to the situation, the Los Angeles Kings recently announced the hiring of Peter Laviolette as their new head coach. With Bruce Cassidy still without a go-ahead from the Vegas Golden Knights and a legitimate candidate in Laviolette off the market, Oilers general manager Stan Bowman may feel a need to act quickly. However, it is far more likely that this is simply the Oilers doing their due diligence on a candidate they are considering.
Fans may hate the idea of Babcock in Edmonton, but Bowman has a responsibility to turn over every stone in his search for a new bench boss. If this is merely due diligence, it may be too early to overreact.
More details to come as the situation develops.
