1. What impact will Mike Babcock make as coach?<\/p>\n
Mike Babcock is viewed as the right coach at the right time for the Edmonton Oilers by their star players.<\/p>\n
The 63-year-old was lured out of retirement to take over a team that still believes it\u2019s a Stanley Cup contender.<\/p>\n
Babcock has not coached a game in the NHL since he was fired by the Toronto Maple Leafs on Nov. 20, 2019. He departed from the Columbus Blue Jackets before the 2023-24 season started after reports surfaced he asked players to share personal photos on their private mobile devices. The situation was investigated by the NHL Players’ Association before Babcock and the Blue Jackets on Sept. 17 agreed to begin the process for him to step down.<\/p>\n
After being cleared by an NHL investigation, Edmonton hired Babcock on June 23 to try and get the Oilers over the finish line and win the Stanley Cup. Babcock will be Connor McDavid<\/a>\u2019s sixth coach in Edmonton and Leon Draisaitl<\/a>\u2019s eighth.<\/p>\n \u201cWe see a great opportunity to be coached by someone who\u2019s coached in every single big game there is to coach in and who\u2019s been successful, won Cups, gold medals, you name it, he\u2019s done it,\u201d McDavid said on July 27. \u201cIt\u2019s a great opportunity for us players to be coached by somebody like him and learn off him with where our group\u2019s at and what we\u2019re looking for. He\u2019s the perfect fit.\u201d<\/p>\n