Oilers consider – The Oilers are considering a return to the market with Mike Babcock, with Daryl Katz reportedly having spoken directly to him and leadership meetings already holding enough sway to bring players on board. But the plan is far from finalized, with concerns tied
The idea is out there, and it’s gaining traction inside the Oilers’ orbit: Mike Babcock is being seriously considered. What makes it feel different from a normal coaching rumour is that it doesn’t seem to be sitting only with management.
Babcock has reportedly spoken directly with owner Daryl Katz, and he has also met with or spoken to several members of the team’s leadership group. Whatever was said in those conversations was enough to move the players toward the idea.
That development lines up with what has been whispered about the Oilers since their first-round elimination to Anaheim. The core group, the talk goes, isn’t satisfied with leaving the team without a “firmer hand on the rudder.”
But the path from interest to appointment is where this story starts to snag.
In 2023. Babcock resigned as coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets before the season began after being accused of invading players’ privacy by looking at their phones. Because of that history. it is believed the NHLPA objected to the possibility of the hire once the information became available to them.
There’s also the formal machinery of the league itself. The hire has not been formalized with the NHL, which would also have to sign off, and that sign-off has not occurred.
So even as the interest remains real, the Oilers are in a holding pattern—one where players can be on board and still not get the final answer until the NHLPA concern and NHL approval are resolved.
Edmonton Oilers Mike Babcock Daryl Katz NHLPA NHL sign-off Columbus Blue Jackets 2023 resignation Anaheim coaching rumours