Mike Babcock Has Changed One Key Habit for the Oilers, and It’s Fueling Their Hot Start

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The Mike Babcock era is in full swing in Edmonton, and many of the changes he’s implementing are already noticeable. The Oilers are playing a much cleaner game and showing more defensive structure than they have in years. The results speak for themselves. Edmonton leads the league in expected goals against (xGA), and their goaltenders are operating in a far more controlled environment.

The goalies can read and anticipate the game better because the team is giving up fewer chaotic opportunities. Devon Levi has been excellent, but even Tristan Jarry looks revitalized. A lot of that comes down to strong systems, complete player buy-in, and less cheating for offense on a nightly basis.

Dump-Ins

Most fans dislike dumping the puck in. It isn’t nearly as exciting as watching a team carry the puck over the blue line, and it often feels like they’re simply giving possession away. But there’s a very good reason teams use a dump-and-chase strategy, and Babcock has always been a big believer in it.

Sure, it’s fun to watch a player go end-to-end for a highlight-reel goal. The problem is that many of those attempts end with the puck getting poked away and becoming an odd-man rush in the opposite direction. In past seasons, the Oilers were some of the biggest offenders when it came to forcing plays through the neutral zone, often giving up Grade-A scoring chances and making life much harder on their goaltenders.

Babcock was recently asked why Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are dumping the puck in more frequently. He had a simple explanation:

“I can’t go off what happened in the past. I can just go off puck decisions. We don’t like to pass it in the track. We like playing in the O-zone and spend as much time there as we can because it’s more fun.

And so sometimes it doesn’t matter how good you are, you got to make the D-turn every time down the ice. So if you’re less skilled, sometimes you put it in more often. If you’re more skilled, you don’t have to as much, but you still got to make the right play.

They can’t be leaving the zone with the puck because you made a hope play. So that’s just our focus.”

Dumping the puck in doesn’t just wear down opposing defenders by forcing them to turn and retrieve pucks all night. It also helps eliminate one of the biggest sources of dangerous chances against.

When a player tries to force a play through traffic or make a high-risk move at the blue line, a turnover can quickly become an odd-man rush the other way. That was something Edmonton desperately needed to remove from its game, and so far, the results have been obvious.

Can a Dump-In Be Bad?

Dump-ins can certainly look ineffective, especially when they’re placed poorly. Putting the puck right on a goalie’s stick, failing to get it deep enough, or sending it to an area where nobody can pressure can all create problems. But to Babcock, it’s not nearly as black and white as many fans think.

He was asked whether there’s a difference between a good dump-in and a bad dump-in based on puck placement. His answer was telling:

“Yeah, that’s great. We talk about this all the time, even the coaches from, ‘Well, we made a bad dump.’

Yeah, but you forgot they had F3 and the guy was tracking you from behind, and you were just dying to get to the red line. What’s a bad dump? You made them turn.

So that’s a fantasy world we live in that you say, ‘Okay, I’m going to lay it in the right spot every time.’

Some nights their goalie’s unbelievable with the puck, but if they’re chasing you and they got you cut off, what do you do? You turn it over or you get it deep? Deep’s probably better.”

When you break down his answer, it’s easy to see Babcock doesn’t necessarily believe there is such a thing as a truly bad dump-in. Some are more effective than others, but the priority is avoiding dangerous turnovers and forcing the opposition to play 200 feet.

One of Babcock’s strengths as a coach is that he doesn’t demand perfection. He understands there’s another team on the ice trying to disrupt what his players want to do. That’s an important distinction because it allows players to focus on making the right decision rather than trying to make the perfect play every single time.

Babcock would much rather see a player get the puck deep and force defenders to turn than attempt a risky play in the neutral zone that results in a turnover. The highly skilled players still have more freedom than the rest of the roster, but the overall message remains the same.

And from top to bottom, the Oilers are buying in.

Are the Oilers Playing “Boring” Hockey?

Oilers fans aren’t used to this style of play.

For years, Edmonton has been synonymous with what many affectionately call “crack hockey” – a chaotic brand of high-event hockey filled with odd-man rushes, massive comebacks, and chances flying in both directions. It was entertaining. It was nerve-wracking. And it was probably every coach’s nightmare.

Even during their playoff runs, the Oilers often played a much more chaotic game than you’d normally expect in the postseason, where tight checking usually dominates. It made for incredible viewing, but it also put an enormous amount of pressure on the goaltenders and defense.

The Oilers spent years operating under the belief that they could simply flip a switch when they needed to. More often than not, it worked. They’d recover from terrible starts, go on historic winning streaks, and find ways to generate offense regardless of the circumstances.

Last season changed that. Reality hit hard, and Edmonton was bounced in the first round following a disappointing regular season. This year feels different. Their game looks far more sustainable. Players seem to have a clearer understanding of where they need to be on the ice. Roles are more defined. Babcock has created accountability throughout the lineup while still empowering players to succeed.

The standings reflect that progress. At 7-1-1, the Oilers are off to their best start in years and currently lead the league in points percentage.

Babcock is changing the culture in Edmonton at a rapid pace, and the players have completely bought into the system. Dump the puck in, play a simpler game, and trust the process.

So far, it’s working exactly as intended.

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