Edmonton Oilers nearing deal with Mike Babcock, sources say - ESPN

The Edmonton Oilers are closing in on hiring Mike Babcock to be their next head coach, sources confirmed to ESPN.

Babcock and the Oilers have been in talks to have him succeed Kris Knoblauch behind the bench. The 63-year-old Babcock, who won a Stanley Cup in 2008 with the Detroit Red Wings, is 12th all time in career wins by an NHL coach (700).

Babcock was last hired by the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2023 but ended up never coaching a game with the franchise. He resigned after an NHLPA investigation into claims that he violated players' privacy when he asked to see photos on their cellphones. The NHLPA shared its findings with the NHL, which shared them with Blue Jackets management. Team president John Davidson said «we got it wrong» in hiring Babcock.

The NHLPA confirmed that the Oilers have reached out regarding Babcock's status and any open investigations into his conduct. TSN first reported on the Oilers' interest in Babcock.

Sources told ESPN that Edmonton's core leadership group has been consulted about Babcock's hiring and provided input to management. Sportsnet reported on Monday that Babcock met with the players and that Babcock spoke directly with Edmonton owner Daryl Katz.

The Oilers would be Babcock's fourth NHL coaching stop. He led the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim to the Western Conference championship in his first NHL season (2002-03) during his two years there. He coached the Red Wings for 10 seasons, winning two conference titles and the Stanley Cup. He coached the Toronto Maple Leafs from 2015 to 2020.

Although Babcock's coaching tactics and psychological approach with players had come under scrutiny in Detroit, they came into sharp focus after he was fired in Toronto. Specifically, there was an incident