The controversy began earlier in the week during ESPN’s NHL Opening Night media call, when Messier did not hold back his displeasure regarding the Oilers’ decision to hire Babcock behind the bench. Speaking candidly to the media, the Hockey Hall of Famer expressed astonishment over the direction the organization had taken.
"I am just horrified about the whole thing, to be honest with you," Messier said on the media call, adding that he was "absolutely shocked" the Oilers brought Babcock in as their head coach. Furthermore, Messier voiced deep concern that the franchise’s leadership group was allowed to play such an integral role in making the hiring decision.
Beyond the concerns regarding Babcock’s checkered past, Messier took direct aim at the unprecedented process the Oilers underwent to fill the coaching vacancy.
"The way that he was onboarded through the players interviewing him is absolutely something that I’ve never heard of before," Messier stated. "Maybe the game has changed, and that’s the way it’s going. Great. I don’t know. It certainly wasn’t like that."
The comments immediately sparked debate across the hockey world. While Messier’s criticisms resonated with traditionalists who believe in a strict corporate hierarchy, pushback quickly followed. Observers pointed out the apparent irony in Messier’s stance, recalling his own instrumental role in helping get Mike Keenan hired as head coach of the Vancouver Canucks back in 1997. Critics suggested that Messier might be guilty of doing precisely what he is now condemning the Oilers for orchestrating.
Messier elaborated further on his structural concerns, arguing that maintaining distinct boundaries within a hockey organization is paramount.
"I think there has to be a separation of powers on the structural level of any team," Messier said. "I think from the management to the coaching to the players, there has to be a divide. The leadership of your team have to protect the players inside the dressing room. How can you do that when you’re directly involved with the decisions they’re making at the management level and hiring of the management and coaches? I don’t understand it."
The Hall of Famer’s core argument centered on accountability and safety nets: if a team’s leadership group handpicks the coach and the season spirals out of control, the players lose their traditional avenues of recourse. In Edmonton, however, the dynamic appears to be entirely different, with the players unified and unfazed by the outside noise.
When asked about Messier’s remarks following Thursday’s morning skate, Babcock took the high road. Rather than engaging in a war of words with a franchise icon, the veteran coach offered nothing but praise for the Oilers legend, recalling positive past interactions and pointing to the organization’s historical reverence for him.
"Yeah, they sent it to me yesterday. I just sent it to my family, so… You know, one of these teams is Team Messier, right? He won four Cups here," Babcock told reporters. "I’m younger than him, so when I’d watch him, hard, leader, two-way, competitive. Went to New York, hard, two-way, competitive, real leader."
Babcock went on to describe two personal encounters that left a lasting impression on him. "I’ve dealt with him two times in my life, one time we were presenting Olympic gold medals here. My daughter was seven or eight then, he treated us great. Another time was at the Hall of Fame thing, he treated me great. Like I said, Team Messier is a legend here. It is ESPN that he does? He does great on that. I have nothing but respect for him."
Babcock Is Who The Oilers Wanted
Since the initial announcement naming Babcock as the head coach in Edmonton, neither management nor the team’s star players have attempted to downplay the roster’s influence on the hiring process.
The prevailing sentiment echoed throughout the organization is that Babcock is precisely who the core players wanted leading them. Because the players actively pushed for his arrival, they recognize that they share responsibility for the outcome. So far, internal reviews have been overwhelmingly positive, with the team embracing the heightened intensity.
Even after a demanding practice session where Babcock openly criticized the team for a lacklustre effort, the players remained steadfastly supportive of the direction. Captain Connor McDavid addressed the media following the skate, supporting the coach’s uncompromising standards.
"I want the standard to be at the very highest, and if he didn’t like practice, he didn’t like practice," McDavid said. "We’ll be better tomorrow."
That uncompromising environment was on full display earlier in the week when Babcock abruptly halted a drill just minutes into practice because star forward Leon Draisaitl cheated for offense during an exercise. The coach ordered the entire group to stop and restart the drill from scratch. Far from showing frustration with the hard-line approach, Draisaitl expressed enthusiasm for the new regime after the session concluded.
"I’m excited to learn from him, I think we’re all extremely excited to be around him and get to work," Draisaitl remarked.
This is a roster searching for a missing edge, a group eager to be held accountable by a demanding voice. While past coaching staffs and internal motivation failed to push them over the finish line, the players believe Babcock’s rigorous style is the missing ingredient. If enduring a demanding system is what it takes to capture a Stanley Cup, the team has signaled it is fully prepared to handle the friction.
Should things eventually go sideways, McDavid made it clear during training camp that the players understand their role as a collective unit.
"Babs is there to be Babs and to coach the way that he sees fit," McDavid said. "We’re also a team and teammates who care about each other. If there’s an area or a place where we have to step in, of course we’re going to do that. But we would do that with any coach."
The commentary surrounding Babcock’s hiring follows previous acknowledgments from General Manager Stan Bowman, who admitted earlier that the organization recognizes the controversy surrounding the coach’s past and has made it clear that unethical behavior will not be tolerated. As the Oilers prepare to launch their campaign, the focus remains squarely on the ice, where the players are putting their reputations—and their preferred choice of coach—to the ultimate test.