Edmonton Oilers Hire Mike Babcock as Head Coach

Mike Babcock is back as an NHL coach after seven years.

The Edmonton Oilers hired Mike Babcock as their new head coach.

The Oilers will introduce Babcock at a news conference on Tuesday at noon.

Babcock replaces Kris Knoblauch, who was fired after the first round of the playoffs.

The NHL allowed the Oilers to hire Babcock after looking into his past behavior.

D.J. Smith will join Babcock's team as an associate coach.

Babcock used to coach for Anaheim, Detroit, and Toronto.

Babcock last coached an NHL game in 2019 and was fired the next day.

He signed with the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2023 but quit before the season started.

Babcock's teams have not done well in the playoffs for a while.

The Oilers hired Babcock because he has experience and has won before.

Babcock is 63 years old and from Saskatoon.

He started coaching in the American Hockey League and then moved to the NHL.

Babcock led the Anaheim team to the Stanley Cup final in his first year.

He coached the Detroit Red Wings for 10 years and won a Stanley Cup.

Babcock then coached the Toronto Maple Leafs for five years.

The Maple Leafs made the playoffs three years in a row but lost each time.

Babcock's coaching style has been criticized by players.

He asked a player to rank his teammates by work ethic.

A former player said Babcock would discuss players' effort levels in front of the team.

Some players have spoken out against Babcock's behavior.

One player said Babcock's behavior was so bad that it made him hate hockey.

Babcock announced his retirement from coaching in 2022 but came back in 2023.

He was hired by the Columbus Blue Jackets but quit after a short time.

A player said Babcock would look at photos on players' phones and show them on TV.

Babcock denied this and said it was a misunderstanding.

The NHL Players' Association looked into the reports and Babcock resigned.

Babcock said he was stepping down as coach to avoid being a distraction.

He has won several championships coaching for Canada.

The Associated Press helped with this story.

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