Oilers Fans May Want to Remember What Happened Before

Oilers hired Mike Babcock to push the envelope and make the team tougher, but the real question is whether he also brings that same “I’m the decision-maker, deal with it” energy that made some players feel pretty lousy in the past—like healthy-scratching Mike Modano late in the season. Yeah, people can change, but you don’t just shake off a reputation like it’s nothing, and you definitely don’t want to hope that his drive to win automatically comes with considerate behaviour too.

So if you’re an Oilers fan, the big thing to watch isn’t whether the team plays harder on paper—it’s how the players feel when they’re being coached: are lineup decisions treated like hockey moves, or do they start to feel personal and punitive? Do guys respond with confidence and trust, or do they start playing like they’re trying to avoid being the next example? That’s the cautionary tale right there. The good version of Babcock brings urgency and structure. The bad version leaves everyone walking around on eggshells.

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Babcock Made Benching Players Part of His Agenda

Oilers fans might want to remember this one: Mike Babcock didn’t just “bench” guys; he made it part of his whole agenda. One of the clearest examples was him healthy-scratching Mike Modano late in the season against the Minnesota Wild in 2011. As a result, Modano finished with 1,499 games, and the late-season healthy scratch prevented him from reaching 1,500.

That was 15 years ago, and people can change. But when you’ve got a reputation like Babcock—good at winning when it clicks, brutal when it doesn’t—can you magically wipe the blackboard clean? It’s kinda like Scrooge’s old partner Jacob Marley dragging chains: even if the stories change, the weight follows you.

But here’s the cautionary part for Oilers fans. You can’t just assume the best intentions erase the habits. If a coach was hired with the express purpose of bringing a ‘win at all costs’ mindset, and that approach was supported by core players like Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Zach Hyman, will Babcock assume that what worked for him in the past still works today?

Babcock Brings That Hard-Edged Reputation With Him

Babcock, like it or not, carries that same hard-edged reputation. He has pulled guys from games in ways that feel personal, making benching feel like punishment. Will Oilers players start watching the coach as much as the opponent? That’s when “good coach” turns into “everyone’s walking on eggshells,” and that’s when your team stops playing free.

So if you’re watching for anything as the Oilers move forward, watch how guys react when they miss a shift, when they make a mistake, when the lineup changes. Do they respond like a confident team getting coached through it? Or do they look like a group trying not to be the next example?

Because the good coaches get buy-in. The bad-rep coaches get compliance. And the playoffs? That’s where you’ll feel the difference fast. This could be an interesting season for the Oilers and their new coach.

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