Stan Bowman is betting Connor McDavid’s championship window on a coach who owns 700 NHL wins but has not won a playoff round since 2013. Mike Babcock also arrives with the Mitch Marner list incident in Toronto, Johan Franzen’s accusations from Detroit, and a failed comeback in Columbus attached to his name.
That is why Babcock’s place at No. 28 in Adam Proteau’s latest ranking for The Hockey News lands with such force.
Edmonton hired Babcock on June 23 after firing Kris Knoblauch, who guided the Oilers to consecutive Stanley Cup Finals against the Florida Panthers in 2024 and 2025. Florida won both series. Knoblauch lost his job after Anaheim eliminated Edmonton in 6 games during the opening round of the 2026 playoffs.
Babcock brings a 2008 Stanley Cup ring, 2 Olympic gold medals, and one of the most contested coaching legacies in modern hockey. He also brings a 7 year absence from an NHL bench. Edmonton did not choose a quiet reset. It selected a coach who will face heavier scrutiny than almost anyone in the league.
Why No. 28 Fits Babcock Right Now
Ranking Babcock near the bottom is not an attempt to erase his record. Only 11 coaches in NHL history have more regular-season wins. He coached Detroit to the 2008 Stanley Cup, reached the Final with Anaheim in 2003, and won Olympic gold with Canada in 2010 and 2014.
The problem is that those achievements belong to an earlier stage of his career. Babcock has not won a playoff series since Detroit beat Anaheim in the first round in 2013. Toronto reached the postseason 3 times under him but never escaped the opening round. His planned comeback with Columbus ended before he coached a regular-season game.
The ranking feels harsh, but it is defensible. Babcock cannot be judged like a rookie bench boss. He also cannot live forever on a championship won 18 years ago. Edmonton hired the résumé, but the organization accepted everything attached to it.
His Past Will Follow Him Into the Dressing Room
During Mitch Marner’s rookie season in Toronto, Babcock asked the young forward to rank his teammates by work ethic. He later shared the list with other players. The exercise embarrassed Marner and became one of the clearest examples of why players questioned Babcock’s methods.
Former Detroit forward Johan Franzen later accused Babcock of bullying and verbal abuse. Those allegations added another layer to a reputation already shaped by public confrontations and strained player relationships.
Then came Columbus. Babcock asked players to share personal photos from their phones during introductory meetings. Some players felt uncomfortable, and the NHL Players’ Association reviewed the situation. He resigned in September 2023 before coaching a regular-season game.
The NHL completed another review in June 2026 and found no current basis to restrict his employment. That cleared the path for Edmonton to hire him. It did not erase questions about how he handles players.
Babcock addressed that burden after accepting the Oilers job, saying, “The League has changed, the players have changed, and you have to change and grow as a coach. You just have to.” That admission matters because Edmonton is not asking him to recreate his Detroit years. The Oilers need him to prove he can demand accountability without humiliating players or losing their trust.
Everyone will watch how Babcock works with McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. His treatment of the bottom 6 forwards, scratched veterans, and rookie defensemen may reveal even more. Accountability can sharpen a contender. Poor communication can fracture a dressing room.
Edmonton Needs Specific On-Ice Repairs
Babcock was not hired only to change the mood. Edmonton gave away too much defensively against Anaheim, turned the puck over in damaging areas, and failed to produce important penalty kills. The Oilers finished the regular season with a 77.8 percent penalty kill, which ranked 26th in the NHL.
Those are concrete problems. Babcock must clean up defensive zone exits, keep the third forward above the puck, and stop weak-side breakdowns from becoming odd-man rushes. The penalty kill needs quicker pressure, clearer reads around the crease, and fewer failed clears.
Edmonton still has enough skill to score with almost anyone. McDavid, Draisaitl, Evan Bouchard, and Zach Hyman can drive offense without much help from a coach. Babcock’s value will show when the Oilers protect a 1 goal lead, survive a late penalty, or respond after a difficult road loss.
McDavid has publicly welcomed the idea of Babcock holding the stars accountable. That support matters. It also raises the standard. Babcock cannot demand change from the captain while falling back into the same habits that damaged trust in Toronto, Detroit, and Columbus.
Bowman Has Left Little Room for Error
Knoblauch reached 2 Stanley Cup Finals in his first 2 seasons, then paid for a 6-game first-round loss after Edmonton finished with 93 points. His firing showed how little patience remains in Edmonton. Babcock inherits the same pressure, plus the burden of proving he still understands the modern NHL dressing room.
A slow January will not stay quiet. A dispute over ice time will not remain a routine coaching decision. Every scratch, public criticism, and losing streak will be measured against Babcock’s past.
Bowman has made one of the boldest coaching bets of McDavid’s career. He chose experience over continuity, structure over familiarity, and Babcock’s championship history over the stability Knoblauch had built.
If Babcock helps McDavid lift the Stanley Cup, Bowman will look like the executive willing to make the difficult move that finally finished the job. Another early exit would carry a much higher cost. Edmonton would have spent another season of a generational player’s prime on a gamble that failed.
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FAQs
Q1. Why was Mike Babcock ranked No. 28 among NHL coaches?
A. Babcock owns 700 wins, but he has not won a playoff round since 2013. His long absence and player management controversies also hurt his standing.
Q2. When did the Edmonton Oilers hire Mike Babcock?
A. Edmonton hired Babcock on June 23, 2026, after firing Kris Knoblauch following a first-round playoff loss to Anaheim.
Q3. How many NHL games has Mike Babcock won?
A. Babcock has 700 regular-season wins. That total places him 12th in NHL coaching history.
Q4. Did the NHL clear Mike Babcock to coach again?
A. Yes. The NHL reviewed his Columbus tenure and found no current basis to restrict his employment in the league.
Q5. What must Babcock fix with the Oilers?
A. He must improve Edmonton’s defensive exits, reduce odd-man rushes, and strengthen a penalty kill that finished 20th last season.
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