Edmonton’s camp has been running under a bright spotlight, but Connor McDavid says the glare has landed mostly on new coach Mike Babcock rather than inside the Oilers dressing room. The captain believes that has helped the club keep its attention on the work ahead as it prepares for the season.
Key takeaways
- Mike Babcock took over the Oilers on June 23 after Kris Knoblauch was dismissed May 14.
- McDavid and Zach Hyman described a productive camp and said the group has responded well to changes in its on-ice approach.
- Mark Messier questioned both Babcock’s hiring and the role Edmonton’s star players had in meeting with the coach before the decision.
- McDavid said the organization maintains clear separation between its players, coaches and management.
- Babcock and Hyman each stressed their respect for Messier’s standing in Edmonton and across hockey.
A camp centered on the new bench boss
Babcock returned from retirement to take the Edmonton job after nearly six years away from the NHL. His previous league stop ended when the Toronto Maple Leafs fired him 23 games into the 2019-20 season.
The Oilers were looking for a reset after being eliminated by the Anaheim Ducks in the Western Conference First Round. Knoblauch was let go two weeks after that playoff exit, and Babcock was brought in more than a month later.
McDavid said the early days of camp have been calm for the players despite widespread discussion around the coach. He noted that the headlines have not been focused on him, Leon Draisaitl or the rest of Edmonton’s core.
“Most of the attention has been on the coach, not on the players,” McDavid said. “Camp has been good to this point, and the group is in a good place with a couple more days to prepare.”
Hyman saw the same benefit. He said the players have been encouraged by the pace of camp, the preseason work and the adjustments they are seeing from the staff.
“There’s real excitement around the room,” Hyman said. “The way we have worked in exhibition games and the changes showing up on the ice have been positive. From a player’s perspective, it has felt really good.”
Messier’s concerns meet a firm response
Messier, now working as an ESPN analyst, said Wednesday that he was surprised Edmonton chose Babcock. He also objected to McDavid, Draisaitl and Hyman meeting with Babcock before management completed the hiring.
Messier argued that the team’s leadership group should not be drawn into front-office decisions because its primary responsibility is protecting the players in the room. In his view, the line between hockey operations, the coaching staff and the dressing room needs to remain intact.
McDavid pushed back, saying that separation has been evident at camp. He said Babcock’s demanding style has created a clear boundary and that the coaches’ job is to prepare the club while the players, particularly the leaders, must be ready to perform.
“This organization has layers like every other one,” McDavid said. “My responsibility is to lead the way I lead, do the right things every day and be ready to go.”
Hyman did not challenge Messier’s right to his view, but said the Hall of Fame forward remains deeply respected by the Oilers. Hyman wore No. 11 for much of his career, but could not take that number in Edmonton because of Messier’s place in franchise history.
Messier won five Stanley Cups with Edmonton and another with the New York Rangers in 1994. He entered the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2007. Hyman said Messier would be welcome at the rink if he wanted to see Babcock’s camp firsthand, adding that the mood around the club has been optimistic.
Babcock also spoke warmly of Messier, whose name is on one of Edmonton’s training-camp teams, with the other named for Wayne Gretzky. The coach called Messier a hard-driving, complete player and a genuine leader, both with the Oilers and after his move to New York.
Babcock recalled two personal meetings with Messier: an Olympic gold-medal presentation in Edmonton, when Messier spent time with Babcock’s young daughter, and a golf event. “He treated us great both times,” Babcock said, describing Messier as an Edmonton legend.
