Edmonton Oilers: Why is Leon Draisaitl backing Mike Babcock as Edmonton Oilers head coach for 2026-27 NHL season? | NHL News
Leon Draisaitl has spoken out in support of Mike Babcock ahead of the 2026-27 NHL season, making his position on the new Edmonton Oilers coach clear. “Babcock is a direct coach and holds players accountable, and that is something Edmonton needs,” Draisaitl said during the European Player Media Tour.The Oilers dismissed Kris Knoblauch after they lost to the Anaheim Ducks in the first round of the playoffs and brought in Babcock. Edmonton had reached the Stanley Cup Final the past two seasons, and the shakeup behind the bench was a major storyline heading into the new campaign.
What Leon Draisaitl expects from Mike Babcock’s Edmonton Oilers
Leon Draisaitl expects Mike Babcock to bring accountability, structure and a different mentality to the Edmonton Oilers.Babcock has a plan; he’s going to hold guys accountable regardless of who they are, Draisaitl said. The Edmonton star also confessed that sometimes the best players require tough coaching.After the 2025-26 regular season, in which Edmonton struggled to establish a consistent identity, that approach feels especially important. The Oilers finished 41-30-11 and were second in the Pacific Division but lost to the Anaheim Ducks in six games in the Western Conference First Round.Edmonton will try to get back into Stanley Cup contention, and Babcock is expected to emphasise structure, consistency and responsibility. The coach is a long-time NHLer, winning a Stanley Cup with the Detroit Red Wings in 2008 and playing 700 regular-season games, the 12th most in NHL history. He also won two Olympic golds for Canada.
Why does the Babcock hire matter for Edmonton?
It’s a huge undertaking to maximise the Oilers’ championship window around Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid. Draisaitl said he has talked to Babcock a couple of times this off-season and called the upcoming season a new beginning.McDavid and Zach Hyman have also spoken out in support of Babcock. Before the hiring,Babcock met with McDavid, Draisaitl and Hyman, and those discussions helped create alignment on the team’s expectations and championship goals.Draisaitl’s latest comments thus mirror a larger message from Edmonton’s core: The Oilers are entering the 2026-27 NHL season expecting Babcock’s demanding approach to help turn their talent into a more consistent team identity.Leon Draisaitl has publicly backed Mike Babcock as the new head coach of the Edmonton Oilers, saying the veteran coach’s accountability and demanding style could give the team a much-needed change of direction. Draisaitl says Babcock will hold everyone accountable no matter their status, including Edmonton’s biggest stars.The comments follow similar support from Connor McDavid and Zach Hyman and add to the feeling that the Oilers leadership group is on board with the coaching change. Babcock comes in after Edmonton’s disappointing 2026 playoff exit to the Anaheim Ducks, despite the team’s recent success and back-to-back Stanley Cup Final appearances.Now Draisaitl looks to create consistency, structure and a stronger competitive identity heading into the 2026-27 NHL season.
