Draisaitl Reveals Babcock Has Already Been Getting Directly in the Faces of the Oilers

Leon Draisaitl was asked about how the communication was going between the Edmonton Oilers and their new coach, Mike Babcock. Saying “he’s just so clear,” Draisaitl added that Babcock was a real man in his comments to the team and that they, as real men in the locker room, needed that exact kind of messaging.

“It’s been great so far. He’s been awesome with us. He’s been communicating really well,” said Draisaitl after Thursday’s on-ice session. “I’m excited to learn from him, I think we’re all extremely excited to be around him and get to work.” Part of the team’s leadership group that pushed for a more direct, no-nonsense coach, Draisaitl added that Babcock is telling the players straight to their faces what this team needs.

“He’s a real man about it. We’re all men in here, and we all want to win; we’re all here for the same reason, and I think he’s going to be great for us.”

In other words, Babcock is already pushing. He’s not been on the ice with the team in these early few days of skates, and the rookie camps start tomorrow, which likely won’t include Babcock either. Still, he’s making sure to talk to the team and the leadership group, and his messaging in their initial meeting and throughout the summer has been consistent.

So Far, So Good

Babcock is going to tell it like it is, or at least how he sees it. That’s what the Oilers want. Despite their status as the elite of the elite in the NHL, they want a coach who won’t shy away from being honest and making the call, even if it means overriding their gut instincts as players.

The Oilers are getting what they wanted. So far, the reaction to Babcock’s approach has been positive. Will that continue when times get tough? Or will the early communication lead to the Oilers coming out of the gate this season red hot?

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