The Edmonton Oilers have named Mike Babcock of Manitiouwadge, Ontario as their head coach according to Craig Ellingson of CTV News. Babcock replaces Kris Knoblauch, who the Oilers fired on May 14. The Knoblauch firing was a surprise to many because the Oilers reached the 2024 and 2025 Stanley Cup Finals with Knoblauch in charge.
The Oilers will be the fourth National Hockey League team that Babcock has coached. He was previously with the Anaheim Ducks from 2002 to 2004, the Detroit Red Wings for 10 seasons from 2005 to 2015, and the Toronto Maple Leafs for five seasons from 2015 to 2020. Babcock was temporarily hired by the Columbus Blue Jackets three years ago, but resigned before coaching a game.
In 1301 regular season games as a head coach, Babcock had a record of 700 wins, 418 regulation losses, 19 ties and 164 regulation losses for winning percentage of .608. In the postseason, Babcock won the 2008 Stanley Cup Finals. The Detroit Red Wings defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins in six games.
On the international scene, Babcock was Team Canada’s coach when they won the gold medal at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver and the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi. Babcock also led Canada to a gold medal at the 1997 World Junior Hockey Championship in Geneva, Switzerland, at the 2004 World Men’s Hockey Championship in Prague, Czech Republic, and 2016 World Cup of Hockey in Toronto, Ontario.
