The Oilers successfully avoided a potential mess after Mike Babcock's resignation.

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Ryan Hall
September 17, 2023 (11:10 PM)

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His tenure as head coach marked one of the shortest in NHL history, lasting only 2 1/2 months. Babcock, a former Stanley Cup and Olympic gold-winning head coach, resigned from his post with the Columbus Blue Jackets after the NHLPA discovered and investigated allegations of invasive tactics involving former players' phones and data.

This situation was highly unusual for the NHL, as it had never occurred before. Given the ever-changing landscape of personal conduct and player privacy in the NHL, it appears that Babcock did not alter his behaviour and found himself in familiar territory.

During his four-year hiatus from the NHL, following his firing from the Toronto Maple Leafs due to similar issues, there was speculation that General Manager Ken Holland of the Edmonton Oilers might contact Babcock to gauge his interest in the head coaching position.

Holland and Babcock share a long history, dating back to Babcock's hiring by the Detroit Red Wings in 2005. Babcock spent ten years of his coaching career with the Red Wings, leading the team to the playoffs every year during his tenure and winning one Stanley Cup in 2007-2008. He coached the team for 786 games and achieved a record of 458-223-105.

This decision came at a time when the Oilers were transitioning away from Dave Tippett and opted to bring back a familiar face. Instead of pursuing Babcock, they chose to hire Jay Woodcroft, who previously served as the head coach of the Bakersfield Condors, the AHL affiliate of the Edmonton Oilers. Woodcroft had prior experience as an assistant coach with the Oilers and was well-acquainted with the team and the organization.

On February 10th, 2022, the Oilers decided to remove Tippett and appoint Woodcroft as head coach. During his time with the team, Woodcroft has coached 120 games, achieving a record of 76 wins, 32 losses, and 12 ties. Under his leadership, the Oilers reached the conference finals and advanced to the second round once.

This decision to hire Woodcroft proved to be the correct one, as Babcock failed to adapt sufficiently to the modern age of the league. General Manager Holland successfully avoided a potential disaster.