Edmonton Oilers forward Zach Hyman has fully endorsed the hiring of Mike Babcock as head coach, describing his five seasons under Babcock in Toronto as 'a phenomenal experience.' In an interview, Hyman credited Babcock for believing in him when few others did and for helping him find a role that led to his NHL success.
'He believed in me when not many people did. He believed I could help really good star players and get them the puck and forecheck. He found a role for me and did the same for a lot of guys,' Hyman said.
Babcock's Impact on Young Players
Hyman noted that Babcock was instrumental in developing a group of eight or nine rookies during their first year together, including Connor Brown and Kasperi Kapanen. 'A lot of us are still playing, we’ve played a lot of NHL games, and it’s all because of the foundation he instilled in our group,' Hyman said.
'I always felt like we were the most prepared group from an Xs and Os standpoint. We knew exactly what we had to do every night. Every player knew their role, every player valued their role, every player was valued.'
Addressing Controversy
While acknowledging that some players have reported negative experiences with Babcock, Hyman emphasized that his own interactions were positive. 'Honestly, the only incident I recall from Toronto was the Mitch (Marner) incident and we were all kind of shielded from that by the older players. Aside from that, I didn’t see anything in my four years there,' he said.
Hyman added that each player's experience varies: 'On any team there are going to be a handful of guys who don’t like the coach, a handful who do like the coach and a handful who are indifferent. That’s just how it is.'
Looking Ahead
Despite the controversy surrounding Babcock's hiring, Hyman expressed excitement about the future. 'I know there are a lot of players who’ve had really poor experiences, but I think we’re excited about the opportunity, what this could do for this team,' he said.
The Oilers officially introduced Babcock as head coach on June 23, 2026, at Rogers Place in Edmonton. The hiring has drawn mixed reactions from the hockey community, with the NHL itself issuing a statement viewing Babcock in 'a light least favourable.'
