Penguins’ Crosby Praises Oilers’ Hiring of Mike Babcock 

Recently, Babcock was endorsed by one of the most respected players in hockey history, Sidney Crosby, who praised Babcock’s line matching and organization skills.

The praise seemed to catch many fans by surprise, but it became clear that Babcock is still respected by some of the players around the NHL. Babcock has been clear that he wants to make everyone feel important in the lineup, wants to line match, and will be open to adapting if things aren’t working.

Those are things that will be new to Oilers fans, who didn’t see any of those things with Knoblauch as the bench boss.

Babcock’s Resume Brings Promise

Babcock’s long coaching resume is impressive, and while some fans question whether his success is inflated by the teams he was behind the bench for, it is still something that gives Oilers fans hope heading into what feels like a “must win” season.

In 2008, he won a Stanley Cup with the Detroit Red Wings. He also helped lead them to four straight Central Division titles. In 1301 regular season games as a head coach, Babcock brings a 700-418-183 record. Through 164 playoff games in 14 postseason appearances, he ranks 10th all-time in wins with a 90-74 record.

Were Other Options Out There?

Yes.

However, it seems as though the Oilers’ leadership group preferred to have Babcock as their head coach. Throughout the offseason, it seemed clear that everyone on the team is on board with their new bench boss, and is excited to get going.

There were other options out there, like Bruce Cassidy, who wasn’t given permission to interview with the Oilers by the Vegas Golden Knights, Peter Laviolette, who ended up joining the Los Angeles Kings, and even D.J. Smith, who ended up joining the Oilers as an assistant coach on Babcock’s staff.

At the end of the day, the Oilers’ primary goal, as is the same as every other team in the league, is to win. For the Oilers and their current core, that goal is more important than ever. They are in a position where not winning a Stanley Cup almost isn’t an option. They have McDavid locked up for two more years, have an aging core with a weaker prospect pool than most of their peers, and don’t exactly have the draft capital to start a rebuild any time soon.

The entire franchise and their fanbase are hoping Babcock can be the answer to their issues behind the bench. The praise from Crosby is promising, but on-ice results are what matter.

We’ll see what happens.

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