Where is the Edmonton Oilers interest in Mike Babcock coming from?
Sportsnet 590 The FAN: Elliotte Friedman, on The Fan Hockey Show, on the Edmonton Oilers coaching search and their interest in Mike Babcock. It seems like it’s ownership-driven.
** NHLRumors.com transcription
Matt Marchese: “You mentioned about the players and Mike Babcock. Like I had said that earlier. Like, my biggest intrigue with this situation is how much of this is front office driven and how much of this is player driven? Because honestly, Friedge, this feels like a Hail Mary.”
The NHLPA Requests the NHL to Investigate Mike Babcock
Friedman: “I’m going to stop you, Matty. I think it’s ownership-driven. I think this is right from the top. I think that a lot of what’s happened in Edmonton at the end of the season has been right from the top. The coaching change, the pursuit of Cassidy, and this, I think it’s, I think it’s right from the top.
And I think you know the fact that McDavid’s only under contract for two more years. It’s a really (highty??) time. They can’t afford to fool around.
I just think that, you know, they like Laviolette. I heard he interviewed really well there. Laviolette was in a really interesting spot. He had three teams going after him, and ultimately, he chose LA. You know, you know, like I said on Saturday, I said the other day, but on Saturday was a time on Saturday morning, I thought Laviolette was going to be the coach of the Leafs, and LA swooped in and did it. And Edmonton was interested in him too.
But I think a lot of this comes right from the top in Edmonton. It’s a really, it’s a really desperate time there. There’s no room for error. And I think the other thing too, and you know, I don’t like, I don’t want people, Kris Knobauch was fired, and I’m not interested in kicking a guy when he’s down, and plus he took them to two consecutive Stanley Cup Finals. He deserves to be praised for the job he did.
Edmonton Oilers Roster Needs Work, Team Just Doesn’t Need a Coach
I just think they felt that this year, I think even the players may have felt it this year, is that they just got away with too much. And I want to be very careful how I say this, because it can be very easily misconstrued, and I don’t want to step in a pot of hot water here. But I think they, that whole organization, felt they needed a really stern voice, and that’s why they are where they are.”
We had to restart our X account. Please follow @MyNHLRumorsX
Have you subscribed to our YouTube channel? Rumor roundups and hot topics from around the league. We’re also posting some stuff on Instagram.
If you love our reporting, choose NHLrumors.com as a preferred source on Google.
