Oilers clear controversial coach hire
Edmonton Oilers now cleared to hire controversial Stanley Cup-winning coach
The NHL has officially cleared Mike Babcock to return to coaching, removing the last barrier for the Edmonton Oilers to hire the controversial Stanley Cup winner The Big Lead. The league stated there is "no current basis to restrict his employment" after completing a review of his short, scandal-plagued 2023 stint with the Columbus Blue Jackets Edmonton Sun.
The clearance came on June 18, 2026, weeks after the Oilers fired head coach Kris Knoblauch following a first-round playoff loss to the Anaheim Ducks. If hired, Babcock would be the tenth Oilers head coach in just 15 years Edmonton Sun.
Phone-Gate and the Scandal That Ended Babcock's Last Job
Babcock resigned from Columbus on September 17, 2023, before coaching a single game. Allegations surfaced that he pressured players to show him personal photos on their phones, then projected those images onto a locker room screen in what he called a team-building exercise The Big Lead. The NHL Players' Association called it a gross invasion of privacy.
That incident was not Babcock's first controversy. After he was fired by the Toronto Maple Leafs in November 2019, reports revealed he forced rookie Mitch Marner to rank teammates by work ethic. Former player Johan Franzen also publicly accused Babcock of bullying. The 2026 NHL investigation reportedly also examined undisclosed claims involving forward Patrik Laine Edmonton Sun.
NHLPA Flags Concerns as Agents Threaten to Block Trades
The NHL Players' Association acknowledged the clearance but issued a pointed warning. The union stated it expects Babcock to "uphold the high standards required of NHL head coaches" Stratford Beacon Herald. Several player agents have gone further, reportedly telling the Oilers that clients might block trades to Edmonton if Babcock is hired Cold Lake Sun.
Connor McDavid, whose cap hit sits at $12.5 million, reportedly met with Babcock as part of a player leadership council before the clearance. McDavid's buy-in is seen as critical. Leon Draisaitl, earning $14 million per season, is the other franchise pillar Babcock would need to manage Brantford Expositor.
Oilers Bet on Babcock's Discipline After Back-to-Back Finals Flops
Edmonton went 41-30-11 in the 2025-26 regular season but regressed after reaching the Stanley Cup Final in both 2024 and 2025. GM Stan Bowman, himself reinstated by the NHL in 2024 following the Chicago Blackhawks' sexual assault scandal, is believed to be the driving force behind the Babcock pursuit Pincher Creek Echo.
Former NHL coach Bruce Boudreau offered a blunt defense of the hire. "I don't have any reservations," Boudreau said. "He's a really good coach. Hopefully, he's learned from his mistakes. They had a players' coach — now they're going to a disciplinarian" Northern News. Babcock won the Stanley Cup in 2008 with Detroit and took Canada to Olympic gold in 2010 and 2014.
Critics Call the Hire a Sign the NHL's Culture Problem Persists
Not everyone is persuaded by the NHL's green light. Critics argue the clearance shows the league still prioritizes winning over player welfare. Analysts have called the potential hire a "dangerous mistake" by a franchise desperate for a championship at any cost The Big Lead.
The stakes are enormous. Free agency opens July 1, and the Oilers need a coach in place to attract veterans. But the controversy around Babcock may drive away so-called "lifestyle" free agents who want a warmer locker room environment. If Babcock's old habits return, analysts warn of a "total organizational implosion" for one of the NHL's most talent-rich rosters Cold Lake Sun.
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