I’ve often heard that hockey is a man’s game. Well, on Mike Babcock’s Edmonton Oilers, that’s going to be a fact of life. And if a player wants to succeed under Babcock, he’d better man up.
Babcock’s focus on masculine traits came up a few times this week, first when Leon Draisaitl reflected it in an interview, where he said of Babcock: “He’s just so clear. He knows what this team needs and he doesn’t shy away from telling you straight to your face. He’s a real man about it. And we’re all men in here. And we want to win. We’re all here for the same reason. I think he’s going to be great to us.”
Then came Babcock himself on the Jake’s Takes podcast out of Toronto, where he constantly referenced this or that player being a “man” as his ultimate compliment.
On the Oilers, Babcock said, ‘We got veteran guys that are going to have a voice. Ekholm. He’s been around forever. He knows. He’s a man. He’s not shy. Nuge’s been around forever. They know. Not shy. Hyman knows. Not shy. Draisaitl and McDavid aren’t kids. They know. They’re not scared of any coach. They’re sharing their thoughts with you and I’m sharing my thoughts with them. We’re going to come up with whatever is the best for the Oilers and go.”
On Patrice Bergeron, the former Boston Bruins great, Babcock said, “I coached Bergeron. I’m thinking 04 at the World’s 2010, 2014 Olympics, 2016. Like this guy did everything right. He knew. Great man. Just knew how to do (things). They’re teaching you stuff. Like I don’t care if it’s Shea Weber, Duncan Keith, all these guys over the years that taught you a ton… I think that’s what it’s all about.”
On his Canadian university championship team in Lethbridge: “We had men on that team. Gregg Nicol led that team. He played harder than any man. He was a dominant checking centre. He did things right. He worked.”
And on Sidney Crosby: “I’ll tell you something about Sid is that number one, he didn’t have to say anything nice about me. That guy’s a man. And I had a chance to coach him in 2010, 2014, 2016. And to see him grow as a player, yet unbelievable defensively, unreal in the circle, but the way he shared
himself and the older and the more comfortable he got, the more he shared himself with his teammates, it made him better.”
On new Oilers goalie Frederik Andersen: “Freddy Andersen’s a man. He’s a good human being.”
My take
1. Babcock is a Canadian original. He’s got enough personality and presence that he’ll singlehandedly make the Oilers compelling to follow this year however things turn out.
2. Whatever you might think of Babcock’s messaging on manhood, it’s evident it resonated with Draisaitl. Since one of the keys for Edmonton is to have Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl fully buy in and play better defensive hockey than they did last year, how is that not a good thing?
3. I can see why Babcock rubs some people the wrong way. But I also see why he rubs some people the right way.
In an era where we have the motion of “toxic masculinity” shoved down our throats daily, it’s refreshing to hear someone talk about masculinity as if being a man in the classic sense of the word was the highest compliment you can pay to a human male.
4. Of course, in the end, talk is talk and winning is winning.
The Oilers could have Elliot Page posters or Jason Statham posters on their dressing room wall and it makes no difference.
What matters in the NHL is winning.
That’s how I’m going to judge Babcock and the Oilers this year.
Just win, man.
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