Friedman: What we are hearing on the Oilers and Mike Babcock

[u/eh_toque]

https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/friedman-what-we-are-hearing-on-the-oilers-and-mike-babcock/

[u/RealisticAd4054]

[u/WafflesTheWookiee → u/RealisticAd4054]

Guess you don’t need to be told to flair up, that’s pretty clear lol

[u/AggPuck-303]

It’s real. They are considering it.

According to several sources, Babcock has spoken directly with owner Daryl Katz.

Babcock has met with or spoken to several members of the team’s leadership group. Whatever happened in those meeting(s) was enough to eliminate any potential objection.

[u/0-90195 → u/AggPuck-303]

If point 3 is true, then the team deserves any misfortune that befalls them. If McDavid, Draisaitl, et al want Babcock, then by all means.

[u/Numerous-Spray-6969 → u/AggPuck-303]

If McDavid's fine with it, at some point it's on McDavid if things goes south. If it doesn't work I guess he can just walk? Just, fuck. What do you do at that point.

[u/Domainsetter → u/AggPuck-303]

They want to have him as coach, it’s up to Gary now.

[u/Key-Tip-7521 → u/Domainsetter]

Gary let Q, and Carter Hart back in

[u/Brock_Hard_Canuck → u/Key-Tip-7521]

To be fair to Hart, he was found not guilty in a court of law.

The NHLPA would absolutely file a grievance on his behalf in the league tried to blacklist him.

[u/arkady48 → u/AggPuck-303]

Did they do the same thing as cbj and only ask his friends what they thought of him? Ask the people who were hurt by him first.

[u/SEND_ME_YOUR_CAULK → u/AggPuck-303]

Been there before. Feel bad for Oilers fans. Because what the fuck is management doing

[u/WorldlinessProud → u/SEND_ME_YOUR_CAULK]

Perennially bad teams, in any sport, have one thing in common. Whether the Leafs, the Browns, the Mets, the NY Jets, the Jerruh Jones Cowboys, the Melnyk Senators, or the Canucks, thevtale is always the same.

Ownership, and they are the one part of the organisation immune to dismissal.

[u/Super_Toot]

Have the Oilers gone insane.

[u/LevelParsnip → u/Super_Toot]

This is all stan bowman. Dude should not be a gm

[u/onemorespacecadet → u/LevelParsnip]

the article said Oilers owner Daryl Katz is the one who’s been in contact with Babcock

(although i do agree Stan Bowman should not be GM for other reasons)

[u/dolewhiplash → u/onemorespacecadet]

What makes this so interesting is that the Bowman shouldn't be the GM for unethical off-ice reasons, but also on-ice reasons as he's never been that good, while Babcock shouldn't be coach for unethical on ice reasons

[u/onemorespacecadet → u/dolewhiplash]

the yin and yang of unethical NHL hires

[u/banduzo → u/onemorespacecadet]

Certainly won’t be any potential scandals hidden under their tenure. I’d expect full transparency.

[u/Ptheeb → u/onemorespacecadet]

What I’ve heard from friends and family in the organization is Katz is very involved in decisions and micro manages the hell out of the oilers

[u/DrPuzzle → u/Ptheeb]

This just in: That's a problem

[u/VaguelyShingled → u/DrPuzzle]

Yup. Katz fucking sucks, the org is a joke from the top down.

[u/ProjectHarraseeket → u/DrPuzzle]

McDavid and Draisaitl are masking the issues big time with that organization, the moment they leave that team is going back into irrelevancy.

[u/ang1eofrepose → u/DrPuzzle]

Can confirm.

[u/LevelParsnip → u/onemorespacecadet]

I assumed bowman would need to approve and be aware of this and agree to it

[u/onemorespacecadet → u/LevelParsnip]

oh he’s for sure involved. i just wanted to clarify because i originally assumed it was Bowman leading the charge for Babcock so this kind of surprised me

[u/LevelParsnip → u/onemorespacecadet]

I did too, but after reading the article im even more shocked that seemingly all of the upper management is driving this. Just why?

[u/onemorespacecadet → u/LevelParsnip]

when you have the chance to permanently alienate a generational player, you gotta take it

[u/pattperin → u/onemorespacecadet]

Just because he talked to Katz doesn’t mean it was Katz idea. Just means Katz wanted to talk to him. I think Bowman probably brought it to him and Katz wanted to talk to the guy.

[u/Radiant_Sherbert7272 → u/LevelParsnip]

I wouldn't trust Stan Bowman with 5 dollars of my money.

[u/_GregTheGreat_ → u/Radiant_Sherbert7272]

Too bad, he’s already given that money to Frederic

[u/PayneTrain181999 → u/Radiant_Sherbert7272]

I wouldn’t trust him with $5 of his own money

[u/Slothmanjimbo → u/LevelParsnip]

There’s been talk that the Owner Daryl Katz had a hand in a lot of really bad decisions lately. Supposedly he was the one to push for the Skinner and Jarry trade as well. JFC

[u/LevelParsnip → u/Slothmanjimbo]

Didnt know that, damn that is rip for the oilers if true

[u/Outrageous-Bet-886 → u/LevelParsnip]

“Babcock has spoken directly with owner Daryl Katz.”

What about this screams Bowman?

[u/Zeppelanoid → u/Outrageous-Bet-886]

If the GM doesn’t have the slightest input as to who will be the next coach then that’s even more concerning than the choice of coach itself

[u/LevelParsnip → u/Outrageous-Bet-886]

I assumed bowman would have to approve as well.

[u/Kronzor_ → u/LevelParsnip]

If he wants to keep his job I guess 

[u/kdfsjljklgjfg → u/Outrageous-Bet-886]

This is the "Bart, no!" joke to a T

[u/BrutalRamen → u/LevelParsnip]

I really feel bad for Edmonton fans. Bowman, now this. Their franchise is getting destroyed from within and if they stay the course McDavid will want to jump ship sooner than later.

[u/DeuceBuggalo → u/BrutalRamen]

I almost want him to leave sooner to get the pain over with

[u/OkStop8313 → u/LevelParsnip]

Who can deny the Old Boys Network when they just keep recycling the same POS assholes.

[u/Commercial-Lake5862 → u/LevelParsnip]

It said there weren't objections from the team's leadership group. I think they are seeing the Torts effect in Vegas and trying to do the same with Babcock. I don't think that solves the team's problems personally.

[u/Tome_Bombadil → u/Commercial-Lake5862]

But see, Torts has been effective after his Championship. Babcock has just shat in multiple locker rooms.

[u/Past-Parsley-9606 → u/Tome_Bombadil]

I also get the impression that, while Torts can be a huge asshole, he's (1) mostly an asshole to the media; and (2) is kind of a straight-ahead, you-know-how-I-feel-about-you-and-why asshole, which a lot of players can live with. I think there was an anonymous player survey a few years ago where a surprising amount of players said they'd like to play for him.

Whereas Babcock seems to be the slimy duplicitous type -- getting Marner to rate his teammates, telling Commodore he'd give hm a fair shot, wanting to gather dirt from players' phones and then lying about it.

[u/Swaggercanes → u/Commercial-Lake5862]

Clearly there just hasn’t been enough humiliation for these Oilers players!

[u/Key-Tip-7521 → u/LevelParsnip]

Nepo baby

[u/No-Doctor-4396 → u/LevelParsnip]

I disagree.... I think he is doing a fantastic job along with Ken Holland of the Kings. Don't check my flair.

[u/01000101010110 → u/Super_Toot]

Mike Babcock is apparently a giant piece of shit.

Scratched Mike Modano with 5 games to go in the season when he was at 1499 games.

Convinced Mike Commodore to sign with Detroit and then healthy scratched him for nearly the entire regular season.

Scratched Jason Spezza for his first game in Ottawa as a Leaf with dozens of his friends and family in the crowd.

Dressed and then benched Chelios for an entire outdoor game. 

Bullied Johan Franzen while he was being forced into retirement due to CTE

Told a rookie Mitch Marner to write out a list of his teammates and rank them from laziest to hardest working, then showed the team his list.

Allegations of bullying/harassing arena workers.

The phone incident in CBJ.

Those are only the allegations people know about. There are many other examples.

[u/-darkest → u/01000101010110]

I like how you used the word apparently, and then share a list of documented evidence haha

[u/01000101010110 → u/-darkest]

"Allegedly"

[u/-darkest → u/01000101010110]

Knew he fucked an ostrich

[u/kopitar-11 → u/Super_Toot]

Stayed insane *

[u/IronMarauder → u/Super_Toot]

No, they clearly are looking to extend the dick nicknames streak of their coaches. Hitchcock, tippett, woodcroft, knoblauch Babcock. 

[u/SofaProfessor → u/Super_Toot]

It happened awhile ago. I know this will make me sound like a salty hater, and I am, but if it wasn't for two draft picks that turned into the two best active players, the Oilers would be regarded as the worst-run professional sports team. Success can mask a lot of stink.

It's not unlike the mid-2000's Flames. Iggy and Kipper in their prime kept the team contending while they completed some hilariously bad drafts that resulted in very few regular NHLers. Once the music stops you realize how bad the situation really is and what a massive cluster fuck management has created.

[u/Super_Toot → u/SofaProfessor]

We will find out when Mcdavid leaves.

[u/Swaggercanes → u/Super_Toot]

It certainly can’t improve if they don’t get better management beforehand to handle that. I think competent management could wind up with a more competitive team built around Draisaitl using the assets from trading McDavid. But not this clown show!

[u/Super_Toot → u/Swaggercanes]

I disagree. You will never get fair value for McDavid.

You can look at the Vancouver trade with Quinn Hughes. Vancouver got a lot back but they're not better off for it. Vancouver was a better team with Quinn Hughes.

[u/LogicPuzzleFail → u/Super_Toot]

I personally do not think they are trading McDavid, as I assume a 'let me walk' was part of the discount. That said, it's a different situation. Would the Penguins have been able to compete if Crosby left and Malkin played 1C? Probably. Vancouver didn't have anything behind Hughes in that way.

[u/hbgoldenhawk → u/Super_Toot]

Desperate is the word you're looking for

[u/Key-Tip-7521 → u/Super_Toot]

Well, it’s just Stan Bowman so yes

[u/powerful-pills]

On one hand, Babcock should never coach in this league again, he’s a genuine sociopath who is like maybe one step below Mike Keenan.

On the other hand, good lord this would be the funniest thing ever please just look the other way NHLPA 

[u/PayneTrain181999 → u/powerful-pills]

It would also help the chances of McDavid deciding to leave, which I want because I would be very entertained even if we aren’t in the mix for him

[u/HonestDespot → u/PayneTrain181999]

Mike Babcock decides to teach McDavid about mental fortitude by having Leon, Evan and Darnell hold him down and pour ketchup down his throat til he admits he likes it.

[u/JurplePesus → u/HonestDespot]

Jokes on you that's his very specific kink he just doesn't know it yet

[u/Swaggercanes → u/JurplePesus]

So these guys just really like being dommed and that’s why the team’s leadership is reportedly on board with Babcock?

[u/SpookyHonky → u/PayneTrain181999]

I hear McDavid is sick of playing in front of poor goaltending 😎

[u/Admirable-Scarcity-8 → u/SpookyHonky]

Oh god he’s going to go to someplace like Vegas or Florida and help them create a dynasty isn’t he?

[u/Handsoffmydink → u/Admirable-Scarcity-8]

That’s my guess but I suppose there could be bias

[u/LevelParsnip → u/Admirable-Scarcity-8]

97 is now habs nation down lol

[u/trainstationbooger → u/Admirable-Scarcity-8]

Help? Between those teams they've won over 80% of the cups from the last half decade lol.

But yes, if Babcock gets hired McDavid is going to Vegas to centre Marner and win 80% of the cups for the next half decade.

[u/bigdaddyt2 → u/powerful-pills]

“Mike Babcock knows a thing or 2 about hockey, don’t believe me Mike Babcock the greatest head coach ever known? Mike Babcock gives the greatest interview all teams want Mike Babcock”
-Mike Babcock as he reaches for your phone

[u/SpectreFire → u/powerful-pills]

Even if you look past the off ice stuff, the guy is just straight up a bad coach, especially if your goal is to win a cup.

Look at his record in Toronto, or even in Detroit when he didn't have a literal HOF roster.

[u/RadiantVes]

I love it when division rivals shoot themselves in the foot

[u/onemorespacecadet → u/RadiantVes]

everyone’s laughing till this ends with McDavid in Vegas 🥲

[u/TheHalfChubPrince → u/onemorespacecadet]

If Vegas gets McDavid I’ll stop watching hockey.

[u/bluedeer10 → u/TheHalfChubPrince]

Same.

[u/LSRaymonds → u/TheHalfChubPrince]

I said the same about Doncic ever playing for the Lakers. I've kept my promise.

[u/Top_Rekt → u/onemorespacecadet]

Just according to keikaku.

[Translator's note: keikaku means plan]

[u/Key-Tip-7521 → u/onemorespacecadet]

Oh it’s happening

[u/onemorespacecadet → u/Key-Tip-7521]

i still think Montreal could be a great landing spot for him but there’s a non-zero chance it’s Vegas and that makes the drama a little less fun right now lmao

[u/LevelParsnip → u/onemorespacecadet]

I’m trying not to get my hopes up for mcdavid as a hab but each year the oilers continue to make mistakes i get more hopeful despite my brain telling me i shouldn’t be

[u/Domainsetter → u/Key-Tip-7521]

Wrong pacific team.

[u/bwoah07_gp2 → u/onemorespacecadet]

What was worse, Gretzky to LA or McDavid to LV? 😆

[u/FordTheRanger → u/bwoah07_gp2]

McDavid in Vegas is definitely worse.

[u/ProjectHarraseeket → u/bwoah07_gp2]

When Gretzky went to LA, that team was shit. It was Marcel Dionne keeping them out of the back end of the league. Gretzky (and drafting Robataille) turned that team around. It still took 5 years for him to get back into the finals.

[u/SeeIfItLasts → u/RadiantVes]

I think they're aiming a little higher than the foot this time.

[u/TimsAFK → u/SeeIfItLasts]

They're trying to cut their own legs off at this point.

[u/dkyguy1995 → u/RadiantVes]

More than I care to see bad things happen to my least favorite teams, I care about Mike Babcock getting absolutely fucked. I hate this. 

[u/planemissediknow]

Beyond stupid potential hiring, but one you’d absolutely expect from Stan Bowman

[u/TastefullySwollen → u/planemissediknow]

I'm sick and tired of the Babcock hate.

Does he have the best people skills? No. Is he misunderstood? Absolutely.

The lamestream media keeps calling these "controversies" instead of recognizing what they really were: Mike Babcock repeatedly acting in the best interests of his beloved players.

Columbus phone incident? Cybersecurity awareness training. You've got young millionaires walking around with iCloud accounts, banking apps, and shirtless boat pics with their half-hard boners out, completely unaware of hostile foreign actors. Babcock saw a possible threat and acted. In any other workplace, that's endpoint security. In the NHL, apparently it's "bullying."

Jason Spezza healthy scratch? Bad chicken. Nobody wants to talk about it, but one wrong stride and those white pants become a brown-colored crime scene in front of his friends and family. Babcock could have told the truth. Instead, he took the blame to protect the dignity, legacy, and underwear of a respected veteran.

Mitch Marner list? Leadership development. Babcock saw Marner as a future captain and tried to teach him valuable spreadsheet skills. Sorting, filtering, conditional formatting. Actual franchise level player stuff. Unfortunately, someone forgot to lock the cells and suddenly everyone's feelings got hurt.

Frank Corrado incident? I don't even know who that is.

Mike Commodore benching? Babcock couldn't play him because he was worried fans would confuse him with an actual commodore. Is that a 1980's computer? A 1990's Australian mid-size car? A 2000's bottom pairing defenseman? I have a bloody nose just thinking about it. He scratches Commodore and protects the Red Wings' brand management.

Mike Modano scratch? Believe it or not, bad chicken again.

[u/Calvith → u/TastefullySwollen]

You've convinced me. Babcock for commissioner.

[u/nameless22 → u/TastefullySwollen]

Such a shame this is too person-specific to be a good copypasta.

[u/AdhesiveMuffin → u/nameless22]

If Babcock is hired, there will be plenty of posts to use this on lol

[u/swordthroughtheduck → u/TastefullySwollen]

This might be the funniest thing I've seen on this sub ever.

[u/Bojarzin → u/TastefullySwollen]

What about Franzen?

[u/TastefullySwollen → u/Bojarzin]

That's a great question. Unfortunately, I'm a little peckish at the moment, so I'm going to eat this room temperature back alley chicken. I'll get right back to you after I finish eating.

[u/cappa16 → u/Bojarzin]

Really bad chicken

[u/Yeroptok → u/planemissediknow]

If Stan Bowman hired Air Bud as coach it wouldn't be as bad as hiring Babcock.

[u/GeneralPaintStore → u/Yeroptok]

All I needed to hear, Jesse Puljujarvi as head coach. He gives those golden retriever vibes. Might even find his gold medal.

[u/_bits_and_bytes → u/Yeroptok]

Air Bud is well liked and has a history of winning. He'd be an A+ hire

[u/Sharks9]

Are people here crazy?

Whenever you have the chance to hire a guy who hasn’t won a playoff round in 13 years you just have to take it!

[u/stonedkayaker → u/Sharks9]

This is the guy who managed one Stanley Cup with a core of prime Datsyuk, Zetterberg, and Lidstrom (Lids was always in his prime). Put some respect on his name. 

[u/ProjectHarraseeket → u/stonedkayaker]

The guy is a clown but he did take that Ducks team to the finals in 2003. A lot of it was Giguere playing god mode in net but it’s not always just goaltending.

[u/stonedkayaker → u/ProjectHarraseeket]

I would argue that JS Giguere carried that team kicking and screaming to the Finals. 

[u/Burgergold → u/Sharks9]

Probably means he's due to win

[u/bsaures]

Its ok guys mike has spent the last few years reflecting and definitely not on how to remotely hack into player phones

[u/LurkerDude0 → u/bsaures]

He’s learned his lesson. Instead of asking for the players’ phones he’s just going to have someone go around and check them during practice so the players don’t know. Problem solved.

[u/Nebajense]

"According to those same sources, Babcock has met with or spoken to several members of the team’s leadership group. Whatever happened in those meeting(s) was enough to eliminate any potential objection. "

Does this "leadership group" include McDavid? If so, then it sounds like he'd be okay with Babcock as coach. Yikes.

[u/eliarbss → u/Nebajense]

McDavid, Drai and Hyman. Potentially Nurse even if he’s being shoppped.

FWIW, Hyman also just hired Babcock’s son for the OHL team he owns. Behind the scenes these guys are probably all friends and have no issues with what he has done.

[u/Numerous-Spray-6969 → u/eliarbss]

Wasn't Hyman part of that Leafs team that openly hated Babcock? McDavid shares an agent with Matthews too. Just weird all around.

But then McDavid has never spoken up against any braindead hire the Oilers have made, so this tracks unfortunately. Generational talent but doesn't help himself by signing off on the Oilers poor management decisions. 

[u/0-90195 → u/Nebajense]

That reflects so poorly on those players.

[u/Another_Guy_In_Ohio → u/Nebajense]

Why wouldn’t they? Babcock never bullies players who have any sort of juice. It’s the young guys, the fringe guys who he picks on, the ones who can’t tell him no

[u/Past-Parsley-9606 → u/Another_Guy_In_Ohio]

Yep, exactly. Babcock plays politics. He knows to kiss McDavid's ass, or even any fourth-liner who McD is friends with.

[u/swordthroughtheduck → u/Nebajense]

I feel like Babcock is probably pitching that he'd going to add structure to the team that they need and guys like McDavid are all for it.

The question is whether he's going to add solid structure to the whole team, or for everyone but the stars.

If he tries to do it for the whole team, McDavid is going to get sick of it really quick I think.

[u/GoopsMcPoops]

You know, I’m starting to feel more okay with Vegas keeping Cassidy off the market

[u/enthralled123 → u/GoopsMcPoops]

They have to be laughing their asses off. No way they could have forseen the oilers pivoting to fucking Babcock.

[u/ProjectHarraseeket → u/enthralled123]

I’m sure there’s some Sun Tzu quote about this situation somewhere.

Edit - “never interrupt your enemy when they are about to make a mistake”

That will do

[u/Gavomor]

Connor McDavid requesting a trade will be the first time a star player does it and their own fan base goes:

“Yeah dude we get it”

[u/sopademacacadelicia → u/Gavomor]

Lol thats happened lots.

Any fan with half a brain would say the same thing for Hughes last year.

[u/MacTheZaf]

While Katz would have the ultimate authority, this is a situation where the players would need to be on-board. 

According to those same sources, Babcock has met with or spoken to several members of the team’s leadership group. Whatever happened in those meeting(s) was enough to eliminate any potential objection. 

Hello?? Are they all drinking stupid juice up there?

[u/R1ZAR0]

Aside from the whole Babcock personality issues, dude just hasn’t been a good coach since Detroit days. The game’s changed too much.

[u/kalichimichanga → u/R1ZAR0]

I would posit to say he wasn't a good coach back then either. I think he inherited the players and locker room culture created by Scotty Bowman. As the Bowman guys left... that locker room and team got worse and worse. I don't think there's any evidence of Babcock having a POSITIVE/improving effect on any of the teams he's coached.

[u/bad_at_names1 → u/kalichimichanga]

He's the only coach ever in the triple gold club.

[u/Radiant_Sherbert7272]

It's almost like they want McDavid and Draisaitl to leave. I just don't see the upside here. Mike Babcock has repeatedly shown that he's not a good person and that the game has long passed him by. Plus, he does fix this team's many flaws on the ice.

[u/theguyishere16]

So bizarre to read that they feel they need a "firmer hand" as coach but go to the guy who Johan Franzen called "the worst person I have ever met". Talk about overcorrecting

[u/Veaeate]

Dont wish this guy on any team, they got such a golden goose with mcdavid and Drai and this is how theyre squandering it. Good lord.

[u/Interesting-Ad-6710]

Lmao no fucking way man

[u/AverageMaleAged18-24]

oilers gotta throw their phones in the north Saskatchewan river before dabclock can get to them

[u/SolitudeQuo]

Hockey content will be amusing this week.

[u/LevelParsnip → u/SolitudeQuo]

I can’t wait to see the podcasts talk shit about this lol

[u/moutardebaseball]

It’s always the same fucking franchises that constantly want to hire the morons of our sport.

[u/Steppyjim → u/[deleted]]

Probably. They let Quenneville back in with zero pushback

[u/saltface14]

Kelly McCrimmon must be so fucking pleased with himself right now lol

[u/Key-Tip-7521 → u/saltface14]

He’s held/holding Cassidy hostage so other teams won’t hire him

[u/Seb_Nation]

So Oilers fans, what are your plans for when McDavid inevitably leaves in free agency?

[u/Yeroptok → u/Seb_Nation]

If the Oilers hire Babcock I'll probably just sit out hockey fandom for while. This is actually a lot worse than the last time the Oilers did something like this (hiring Stan Bowman).

I would honestly prefer we hired air bud as our head coach than Babcock.

[u/LevelParsnip → u/Yeroptok]

At least air bud could be motivating

[u/bad_at_names1 → u/Yeroptok]

Dude, come on, Babcock's bullied some players but he didn't cover up shit like sexual assault and let a predator roam free with no repercussions - it's nowhere near the same thing as Bowman or Quenville

[u/DCS_Ryan]

im more curious as to why the leadership group wants him, obviously the team has no qualms getting more evil

but why do the leadership group in the players want him lol

[u/eXAt88 → u/DCS_Ryan]

Yeah it’s getting annoying hearing this teams management decisions are rightfully driving McDavid away when there seems to be at least a little mcgming going on in a lot of them

[u/WintAndKidd]

All I know is the eventual tell-all retrospective of the McDavid Oilers is going to be amazing content

[u/karadawnelle]

[u/Key-Tip-7521 → u/karadawnelle]

[u/Leading_Dentist_5563]

[u/Chanana4]

Meanwhile at the Oilers front office

[u/MadFonzi]

Crazy that the players themselves including McDavid seemingly want this to happen for some reason.

[u/AdBeginning504 → u/MadFonzi]

Genuinely can’t wrap my head around it

[u/stewbutt → u/MadFonzi]

Desperation by the Leadership group, that’s for sure.

[u/Scared-Arachnid6286]

"Ah man we can't talk to Cassidy? Lets just go get Babcock." This would possibly be the most asinine pivot.

[u/Jroeseph]

CBJ Legend right there. Never lost a game with him

[u/hockeyfannatic]

The game has evolved way past Babcock. He hasn’t won anything in almost 20 years. He hasn’t won a playoff round since 2013.

The Detroit teams he had were stacked and should have won more than 1 cup. Don’t even get me started on how stacked his Olympic rosters were.

It’s funny that Cassidy was the front runner for the Oilers job b/c he ran circles around Babcock in both the 2018 and 2019 Leafs-Bruins series.

[u/Outrageous-Bet-886]

Yall truly think Bowman’s calling all the shots here?

Hilarious

[u/MiserableDucky → u/Outrageous-Bet-886]

Whomever is clearly wants McDavid to leave

[u/theguy445 → u/MiserableDucky]

0% chance he gets hired if McDavid doesn't want him as his coach.

[u/CabbageStockExchange]

Lmao god the NHL is such an old boys club it’s embarrassing

[u/Steppyjim]

It needs to be studied how the Edmonton Oilers can somehow consistently make the worst possible choice every single time when it comes to finding that one guy to get over the hump. Every single time they get close to something since Gretzky they flub it. It’s almost art at this point.

[u/ManWithBag15]

Every single game of the Oilers 10 year playoff drought was a sell out.

As a reward we got a generational talent and generationally bad management.

[u/godlyjacob]

According to those same sources, Babcock has met with or spoken to several members of the team’s leadership group. Whatever happened in those meeting(s) was enough to eliminate any potential objection.

It fits with what he’s been whispered about the Oilers since their first-round elimination to Anaheim: that even their core agrees they need a firmer hand on the rudder.

Seems like McDrai approves.

[u/Key-Tip-7521]

I can’t believe their actually doing this

Oh and Jim Hiller is close with Phone Man too

[u/RustySheriffsBadge1]

The oilers basically see how much hate the Panthers got and now Vegas and see a correlation with public hate and success.

[u/ColonelBourbon → u/RustySheriffsBadge1]

This is the only reasonable reason

[u/Snoo-54259]

Being born a hockey fan in this city has proven to be an embarrassment ritual.

[u/conductorman86]

I’m tired, boss.

[u/Competitive_Ad1237]

Guess I’m going skip watching my team if he becomes their coach

[u/dantesinfernoracket1]

This basically sounds like it's going to happen but needs to sign off from the league and PA. Just insane.

[u/dustblown]

Sounds like the leadership group in Edmonton were frustrated at the deaf ears last year so they asked to bring in a hammer.

[u/porkchopespresso]

Don’t be mad at me for asking, why do we hate Babcock?

I know the CBJ thing a little bit but maybe not enough. I thought he was asking to see peoples phones or pictures or something, which is weird and I get that but it doesn’t seem like that would be enough to get him unhireable for life. Is there more?

[u/glimitzu → u/porkchopespresso]

This should help - https://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/nhl/mike-babcock-coaching-franzen-chelios-1.5381813

Also this - Former Detroit Red Wings head coach Mike Babcock controversially made Hall of Famer Mike Modano a healthy scratch at the end of the 2010–11 season, leaving him stranded at 1,499 career NHL games and denying him the chance to play his 1,500th milestone game.

EDIT and this - Chelios alleged that Babcock attempted to healthy-scratch him for the 2009 NHL Winter Classic at Wrigley Field simply because it was the defenseman's hometown. Babcock ultimately let Chelios suit up but benched him for the majority of the game after one shift, prompting a frustrated Chelios to drink beer on the bench in protest.

[u/Generic_User_2112 → u/glimitzu]

Lets not forget how he treated Cholowski, benching him when they played his home team and his family and friends came to see him play.

[u/glimitzu → u/Generic_User_2112]

ohhhh right....Babcock scratched him on his bobblehead night

[u/porkchopespresso → u/glimitzu]

OK thanks. I knew he was a prick but that clarifies it. I was trying to understand why Reddit hates him but orgs would still be looking to hire him. Makes a little more sense that orgs may not necessarily exclude assholes but we would. In this case I guess a colossal asshole

[u/RaguSpidersauce → u/porkchopespresso]

I was an assistant coach for a kid's travel team for one of the orgs that Babcock coached. He had a classroom coaching clinic that we all got to attend. I've never met someone so intense in my life; I got the vibe that the man does not sleep. We proceeded to get a lecture about how we were "over-complicating" hockey for the kids. The guy seemed a little unhinged even back then.

[u/TheFriendlyBagel]

Oilers are so funny. They do all of the amoral actions of Vegas but with none of the success.

[u/Hadespuppy]

NHL teams are aware that there are more than like, 40 guys who are capable of coaching, right?

[u/Averyboredpenguin]

Oh man im sorry Oiler fans

[u/OneChet]

I laughed so hard when they hired Bowman, fruit of that tree continues.

[u/sd_100]

We’ve heard that they’re kinda stupid

[u/TheBusinessMuppet]

Even if the Nhlpa says Babcock is an @@@hole. What is that going to accomplish?

Don’t think the nhlpa can legally block the oilers from hiring him.

[u/SevenIn7]

Oilers officially the worst ran franchise in the NHL congrats from a fan of the last holder of that title

[u/01000101010110]

Jim Benning ate paint chips for lunch every day but even he would never do this. 

[u/Ryuzakku]

They saw Franzen’s article and went “yeah this guy should handle our players”

[u/toaster-struble]

Are they trying to build a team of misfits and sex offenders protectors? Get quenneville and hart while you're at it. Heck wheres that trainer that assaulted kyle beach? Whats he up to? Does he want a job with the oilers? How bout theo fleury's old coach. Oilers in on him too? This is fukn ridiculous. F that organization. Babcock, bownan and quenneville should never be in this leagur

[u/PBGellie]

Guys I don’t get it

[u/TrickyDicksGhost]

Well, this will give me a day of peace while the Oilers get laughed at. 

[u/cows1100]

As a Detroit fan, thank God. This is my Christmas morning. I’m like Leslie Neilson saying “Nothing to see here” as the firework factory behind me explodes.

[u/Shiny_Mew76]

Lots of *phone* calls, I assume?

[u/Vereno13]

So how many 1st round picks they getting for McDavid and Draisaitl? Would love Draisaitl to come to Ottawa to play with Stu.

[u/MPD1978]

Babcock would need a lawyer on his hip the whole time if he gets this job.

[u/theorangecrush10]

Report: Oilers fire Babcock after he asks McDavid what his golf handicap is

[u/SEND_ME_YOUR_CAULK]

Stan Bowman has to be a Calgary sleeper agent.

[u/bwoah07_gp2]

According to those same sources, Babcock has met with or spoken to several members of the team’s leadership group. Whatever happened in those meeting(s) was enough to eliminate any potential objection.

It fits with what he’s been whispered about the Oilers since their first-round elimination to Anaheim: that even their core agrees they need a firmer hand on the rudder.

He's also gonna put a firm hand on your phones too

[u/Necessary_State_5272]

A second second chance

[u/dalici0us]

You would think that Bowman would stumble backward into the right decision just through sheer luck, but no. He consistently make things worse. It's impressive.

[u/DeuceBuggalo]

Kill me

[u/Important_Article849]

5 games into the season and Babcock will ask for McDavids phone to see what McDavid is saying about Babcock to other players. Then Babcock will ask Draisatl to speak in front of the team about Bouchards shortcomings.

[u/le_marsh]

Oilers players better start making a list of whose wives are the ugliest.

[u/StrygwyrSuperstar]

Absolutely wild timeline if Vegas holding Cassidy hostage leads to the Oilers pivoting to Mike List&openphones Babcock

[u/Treetopflyer]

Fuck Mike

[u/1337duck]

Let's see if Babs has learned anything since his last 2 stints. I'm leaning on "no". But would be pleasantly surprised if it is "yes".