The Edmonton Oilers‘ potential hiring of the controversial Mike Babcock has shaken the NHL. Now, Bruce Boudreau has shared his view on why the Oilers are pursuing Babcock — and what he thinks of the situation.
“They had a players’ coach, and now they’re going to a disciplinarian,” Boudreau says.
The Edmonton Oilers had a very disappointing 2025-26 campaign. Coming off two consecutive Stanley Cup Final appearances, both ending in losses to the Florida Panthers, the Oilers were eliminated by the Anaheim Ducks in the first round of the 2026 playoffs.
READ MORE: Fans react to the Edmonton Oilers’ potential hiring of Mike Babcock
Mike Babcock under investigation
In an effort to get back to being a serious contender, the Oilers fired head coach Kris Knoblauch on May 14. Earlier this week, news broke that the team was interested in hiring Mike Babcock as his replacement.
Babcock last coached in the NHL in 2019 with the Toronto Maple Leafs. In 2023, he was hired by the Columbus Blue Jackets but left the position before coaching a single game. He resigned following allegations that he had violated players’ privacy. The matter was never formally investigated by the NHL at the time. However, if the Oilers move forward with the hire, the NHLPA has urged the league to conduct an investigation into the circumstances surrounding Babcock’s resignation from the Blue Jackets.
Bruce Boudreau’s verdict
Now, former NHL coach Bruce Boudreau, who most recently coached the Vancouver Canucks during the 2022-23 season, has shared his opinion on the potential hiring. He also offered an explanation for why the Oilers may be willing to go through the scrutiny that comes with bringing in Babcock.
“I don’t have any reservations about the Oilers hiring Mike. He’s a really good coach. Hopefully he’s learned from his mistakes. It’s definitely a different approach. That usually happens when teams make coaching changes — you go for the opposite type of person. They had a players’ coach, and now they’re going to a disciplinarian. It’s not coaching mistakes that Mike made, because he’s done everything right on the ice. But the way he’s treated players is not the right way. But again, that’s his style,” Boudreau told The Hockey News.
Mike Babcock has 700 wins as an NHL head coach, a total that ranks 12th in league history. In 2008, he coached the Detroit Red Wings to a Stanley Cup championship. He also won Olympic gold medals with Team Canada in 2010 and 2014, and guided Canada to a World Cup title in 2016.
READ MORE: NHL urged to investigate Mike Babcock before Oilers hire
