Oilers’ Mike Babcock Wasted No Time Calling Out McDavid and Draisaitl

Mike Babcock isn’t easing into this job as the new head coach of the Edmonton Oilers. In fact, before he even got the job, he hit the two biggest stars on the roster with a truth they might not have been prepared for. Clearly, it was what they wanted and needed to hear, because Babcock got the gig right after their meeting.

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According to Elliotte Friedman on 32 Thoughts, Babcock already challenged Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl directly in a meeting, telling the two superstars they’re as much a part of the Oilers’ problem as anyone else. Friedman said the two players didn’t push back on the characterization — they “basically admitted it.”

It’s a brave but confident approach to a job interview. Frankly, it’s the kind of move that shows just how much swagger Babcock has. It also isn’t coming out of nowhere.

McDavid, Draisaitl and Zach Hyman were the ones who requested this kind of coach in the first place. In the meeting that convinced Babcock to come out of retirement, the trio reportedly told him — and GM Stan Bowman — that they wanted to be pushed after three straight years of postseason disappointment, including this year’s first-round exit to Anaheim. McDavid has been unusually direct about it publicly too, saying the team’s leaders wanted a coach willing to bench a top player mid-game if that’s what a rough stretch calls for — something no Oilers coach has done to him before.

Draisaitl is on board, as well. It “starts with Connor, that starts with me.” They’re aware that not only can they be better, but they can be better by doing less and incorporating others more. Whether it’s their desire to win or simply following what previous coaches have told them, both stars know they need to spread the burden more evenly across the lineup rather than leaning on the top two players to carry the offense every night.

Friedman’s read is that this dynamic is genuinely worth watching once games start counting. If they want to be challenged, they’ve got a guy who’s not gonna be afraid to take them on. Who bends first? Who pushes back? How long before the dynamic is problematic? Or, does the relationship work out just right because the respect they have for Babcock’s authority trumps everything else?

That Babcock took the power in the relationship before even being hired is bold, and it just might work. In a tight third period, or the latter half of a power play, we might not see only McDavid and Draisaitl. Can Babcock stick to his game plan when things go sideways?

For a team that’s been to back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals without winning one, and with McDavid’s contract window now ticking toward 2028, the stakes behind this new dynamic are enormous. Edmonton’s two best players asked to be held accountable. Now the league gets to watch whether that accountability actually changes how they play when it matters most.

Next: Inside the Dressing Room Problem That Pushed Tkachuk Out of Ottawa