McDavid and Draisaitl are all in on Babcock

It was a Monday afternoon at the Oakdale Golf and Country Club in Toronto, and the mood among Edmonton Oilers players was decidedly upbeat. The occasion was Zach Hyman's seventh annual charity golf tournament, but the conversation kept circling back to one name: Mike Babcock. With the new NHL season still months away, the Oilers' biggest stars made it clear they're not just accepting the controversial coaching hire, they're genuinely excited about it.

Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Hyman all took turns fielding questions about Babcock, who was brought on as Edmonton's new bench boss on June 23 after the NHL officially cleared him to return to coaching. And while the hockey world continues to debate whether the 63-year-old deserves another shot behind an NHL bench, the players who will actually be lacing up for him don't seem to share those reservations.

Addressing the Elephant in the Room

Babcock's path back to the NHL has been anything but smooth. After being fired by the Toronto Maple Leafs in November 2019, he was hired by the Columbus Blue Jackets in July 2023 but resigned before ever coaching a game. Reports surfaced on the "Spittin' Chiclets" podcast that he had asked players to share personal photos from their phones, prompting an investigation by the NHLPA and ultimately leading to his departure from Columbus.

When the Oilers expressed interest in hiring Babcock, the NHL launched its own investigation into his time in Columbus. The league concluded in a June 18 statement that "even in a light least favorable to Mr. Babcock, there is no current basis to restrict his employment in the League." Commissioner Gary Bettman later confirmed there was no reason to prohibit Babcock from coaching, and that the decision to hire him rested with Edmonton.

Before the hire was finalized, Edmonton's leadership group sat down with Babcock to hash things out face to face. Draisaitl was candid about the nature of that conversation. "As we all know, there's history there," the 30-year-old center said. "But I think we got that all off the table. We had an honest conversation about it. He was very honest about it. I think for us, it's time to move on and look forward to the start of the year."

McDavid, meanwhile, focused squarely on what Babcock brings to the table from a hockey standpoint. The captain pointed to a resume that includes a Stanley Cup championship with the Detroit Red Wings in 2008, Olympic gold medals with Canada in 2010 and 2014, and a World Cup of Hockey title in 2016. Babcock ranks 12th in NHL history with 700 career wins across 17 seasons coaching the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, Red Wings, and Maple Leafs.

"We see a great opportunity to be coached by someone who's coached in every single big game there is to coach in, who's been successful, won Cups, gold medals, you name it, he's done it," McDavid said. "He's the perfect fit. He's not going to need to come in and find who he is as a coach or find himself in those situations. He knows what he's about as a coach, and it's our job as players to be ready to go."

Hyman, who played under Babcock in Toronto from 2016 to 2019 and arguably knows the coach better than anyone else in that Oilers locker room, offered a strong endorsement. He acknowledged that teammates had been reaching out to him for his honest take on Babcock and said he had nothing but positive things to share. "He did a great job with a lot of the young players that were there," Hyman said of the Toronto years. "All of us have had pretty long careers and are still playing. He set the foundation for us. I think he's a phenomenal coach."

A Roster Reset With the Clock Ticking

Babcock's hiring was only one piece of a significant offseason overhaul in Edmonton. The Oilers traded longtime defenseman Darnell Nurse to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for defenseman Shakir Mukhamadullin and the draft rights to prospect Zachary Sharp. They also signed defenseman Ryan Shea to a five-year deal and watched goalie Connor Ingram and forward Jack Roslovic leave.

Perhaps the biggest addition came between the pipes. Frederik Andersen, fresh off helping the Carolina Hurricanes win the Stanley Cup, signed with Edmonton. The Oilers also acquired Devon Levi from the Buffalo Sabres, giving them a three-goalie setup alongside holdover Tristan Jarry. McDavid seemed to embrace the idea, noting that Carolina had success running a similar model. "Injuries happen and you always need to have somebody ready to go in there, and we'll always have that," he said.

Hyman was particularly enthusiastic about reuniting with Andersen, his former teammate in Toronto. "He just got married, so big congrats to Freddie," Hyman said with a smile. "And he just won, obviously. So two rings for him in one summer, which is pretty good. He's an unbelievable person, unbelievable teammate, unbelievable goalie who's now won. That's his pedigree. We're lucky to have him."

McDavid was honest about the emotional toll of losing Nurse, who had been a fixture on the Edmonton blue line for years. "It's hard to really put into words what he's meant to not only me but the whole group and everybody in Edmonton," McDavid said. "Extremely disappointed to see that happen. But at the same time, really excited about some new additions."

The urgency behind all of these moves is hard to ignore. Edmonton reached the Stanley Cup Final in both 2024 and 2025, losing to the Florida Panthers each time. Last season, after finishing second in the Pacific Division with a 41-30-11 record, they were bounced by the Anaheim Ducks in six games in the first round, which ultimately cost Kris Knoblauch his job. McDavid, now 29, is entering the first year of a two-year, $25 million extension and could become an unrestricted free agent in 2028. The window is open, but it won't stay that way forever.

Draisaitl and McDavid both noted that the longer offseason, while not something they would have chosen, has been beneficial. Both played at the Olympics in Milan last season and have spent recent summers simply trying to recover rather than improve. "It's been a while since we've been able to actually train and work on things," McDavid said. "The last couple of summers have just been maintenance and getting back to baseline."

As for Hyman's charity event, it continued its impressive track record of giving back. The tournament has raised over $3 million since its inception, with proceeds benefiting Stollery Children's Hospital in Edmonton, SickKids Hospital in Toronto, the United Jewish Appeal Federations of Greater Toronto and Alberta, the Brantford Bulldogs Foundation, and the Edmonton Oilers Foundation. More than $500,000 was raised at this year's event alone.

With training camp still weeks away, the Oilers are clearly trying to project unity and optimism heading into what feels like a make-or-break season. Whether Babcock can deliver the results that have eluded Edmonton in recent years remains to be seen, but his new players seem ready to give him every chance to prove he's the right man for the job.