EDMONTON -- The Edmonton Oilers feel training camp has gone well under new coach Mike Babcock, with few distractions and a solid bond developing between the players and staff.
If anything, the outside attention surrounding Babcock has allowed the players to remain focused on the upcoming season.
“I don’t see a lot of headlines about any players here, I see a lot of headlines about the coach,” Oilers captain Connor McDavid said on Thursday. “I think we’ve had a good camp up to this point, and guys are in a good spot to have a nice couple days here to continue to get ready.”
Babcock was hired by Edmonton on June 23 to replace Kris Knoblauch, who was fired on May 14, two weeks after the Oilers were eliminated by the Anaheim Ducks in the Western Conference First Round.
Babcock had not coached in the NHL since he was fired by the Toronto Maple Leafs 23 games into the 2019-20 season. He came out of retirement to coach the Oilers.
“I haven’t heard anything about me, Leon (Draisaitl) or Connor, it’s about ‘Babs,’ which, obviously I think he can handle that,” Oilers forward Zach Hyman said. “I just know from a player standpoint, there’s a lot of excitement with training camp, how preseason has gone, how we’ve worked in those games. I think that you’re seeing changes on the ice, and it feels good as a player, and it's all positive. It’s been really good.”
The comments from McDavid and Hyman came after former Oilers great Mark Messier, who is now an analyst with ESPN, said during a media availability on Wednesday that he was "shocked" Edmonton hired Babcock. Messier was also critical of how McDavid, Hyman and Draisaitl were involved in the hiring process, meeting with Babcock before giving their approval to management to bring him on board.
“I think from the management to the coaching to the players, there has to be a divide,” Messier said. “The leadership of your team has 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.”
McDavid, however, said there is a divide between the players and coach.
“I think you’ve seen the first couple days of camp, I think you’ve seen there’s a pretty good gap there,” he said. “You know that’s what ‘Babs’ does. So, the entire coaching staff has been great and getting us ready, and it’s on the players and us leaders to make sure we're ready to go.
“Our organization has its has its layers just like everyone else. My job is just to be who I am and captain of this team and make sure I’m doing things right every day, and to be ready to roll.”
Despite Messier’s comments, Hyman said he has the utmost respect for the legendary forward, who won the Stanley Cup five times with Edmonton (1984-85, 1987-88, 1990) and once with the New York Rangers (1994). He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2007.
“He was No. 11 and I was No. 11 for the longest time, and I couldn’t wear that jersey here because he's revered here,” Hyman said. “He’s a legend with the Oilers and in hockey, obviously, so I think that everybody in the game respects him.
“Everybody is entitled to their own opinion. I think if he really wants to see what’s going on firsthand, he’s more than welcome to come here. I think Oilers fans love him. There's a lot of excitement, there’s a lot of positivity here. Nothing but good is happening right now. So, to try and spew something negative right now, I think it’s his opinion.”
Babcock also said he has the greatest admiration for Messier.
“One of these teams (in training camp) is Team Messier, right (the other is named after Wayne Gretzky)? So, he won (five) Cups here,” he said. “I’m younger than him (Messier is 65, Babcock is 63). When I’d watch him, he was a hard leader, two-way competitive. He went to New York, hard, two-way competitive, a real leader.
“I’ve dealt with him two times in my life. One time we were getting presented Olympic gold medals here, and he ran around with my daughter who was seven or eight then and he treated us great. Another time was a golfing thing and he treated me great. Like I said, Messier is a legend here.”
NHL.com senior writer Tom Gulitti contributed to this report.
