"Get it together!" - Mike Babcock is frustrated with his new team already

It's only training camp and Mike Babcock is already making waves in Edmonton. The new Oilers head coach, brought in during the offseason to replace Kris Knoblauch, has wasted no time establishing that things are going to be different behind the bench this year. And if Monday's practice session was any indication, Babcock's tolerance for anything less than full effort is basically nonexistent.

The veteran bench boss was visibly unhappy with what he witnessed during the team's two-a-day sessions, going so far as to yank the top line of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl just 15 seconds into a shift. He also directed a pointed "Get it together" at forward Trent Frederic. For anyone who watched the previous coaching staff tip-toe around criticism, this is a pretty stark departure.

"I didn't think this one was very pretty," Babcock told reporters afterward. "Saying they're having speed bumps, they're not. I just didn't think this one was very good. I like the puck to be on tape, I like us to go fast, I like us to listen and understand what we're doing, and then I like us to compete. And I didn't think we were competitive enough there."

It is worth noting that the Oilers' leadership group, including McDavid and Draisaitl, reportedly signed off on the Babcock hire after meeting with him. They knew what they were getting into. And that accountability clearly runs from top to bottom on this roster.

The Top Line Experiment and What It Means for the Rest of the Lineup

Beyond the fiery rhetoric, one of the most interesting storylines coming out of Oilers camp is Babcock's approach to the lineup construction. He has kept McDavid and Draisaitl together on the top line throughout camp, with Vasily Podkolzin rounding out that trio. That's a significant choice, and one that has ripple effects throughout the entire forward group.

When asked whether he has a strong enough second line to justify keeping his two superstars on the same unit, Babcock was characteristically blunt. He said he wants every line to be productive, not just in terms of numbers on the scoresheet, but in terms of wearing opponents down, playing the right way, and being organized. "You're speculating on what I'm going to do," he told reporters. "I'm telling you right now, I don't have a clue what I'm going to do. I'm going to watch."

The second line currently features Ryan Nugent-Hopkins at center between Zach Hyman and Ike Howard, though Howard will still need to earn that spot. Nugent-Hopkins spent most of the past couple of seasons playing wing, but says he's always more comfortable in the middle. "It's easier for me to jump back into that centre spot," he said. Still, his even-strength production has been modest in recent years, averaging roughly 11 goals and 30 points at five-on-five over the past three campaigns. Whether he can drive a line and get the best out of Hyman without McDavid drawing defensive attention remains a legitimate question.

Babcock, for his part, seems to believe in Nugent-Hopkins but wants to see him unleashed. "If you play with Connor and you're being careful all the time and you're watching, then you don't look like the player you are," Babcock explained. "I want him to play full out and get after it. Nuge is going to be a massive part of things here."

Quick Hits From Camp

Monday's practice lines also offered some other nuggets. Mattias Ekholm was back alongside Evan Bouchard on the blue line, and Babcock had high praise for his fourth line of Colton Dach between Mathieu Joseph and Alex Formenton. He called them the best line in Saturday's game and again the best unit in Monday's practice, crediting their compete level and the fact that all three know they're in "survival mode" in their careers.

Nugent-Hopkins, now working under his 11th head coach as an Oiler, offered some insight into the Babcock experience. "He's definitely a faster pace. Even the meetings, everything's quick and to the point," he said. "And the older you get in this league, you want things to be quick. You want things to be clear. You don't want the grey area, and that's what he's great at."

The regular season hasn't even started yet, and Babcock has already made his expectations crystal clear. If the Oilers can't match his intensity in training camp, one can only imagine what the regular season will look like under this coaching staff. Whether this tough-love approach is exactly the jolt Edmonton needs or a potential source of friction down the road, we're going to find out soon enough. One thing is certain: there will be no coasting on this team.