Zach Hyman: 'Positivity' under Mike Babcock in Edmonton - ESPN

One day after Mark Messier said he was «horrified» by the Oilers' hiring of Mike Babcock, Edmonton forward Zach Hyman invited the Hall of Famer to see how the team is operating under the controversial coach's guidance.

«Listen, everybody has their own opinion,» said Hyman, who wore No. 11 throughout his NHL career before arriving in Edmonton, where it's retired in honor of Messier. "[Messier] was No. 11. I was No. 11 for the longest time, and I couldn't wear the jersey here because he's revered here. He's a legend with the Oilers and in hockey, obviously. So, I think that everybody in the game respects him.

«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. I have a lot of respect for him, and if he'd like to see what's going on, he's more than welcome to come down.»

Messier, who spent 12 seasons with the Oilers and is an analyst for ESPN, critiqued the team's decision to hire the beleaguered Babcock after it had fired Kris Knoblauch in the spring. Knoblauch had led Edmonton to back-to-back Stanley Cup Final appearances before a first-round playoff exit last season.

Babcock has enjoyed success on the ice, including a Stanley Cup title with the Detroit Red Wings and two Olympic gold medals with Canada. But that has been tarnished by accusations of mental abuse by players during his NHL career.

«I am absolutely shocked they hired him,» Messier said during a news conference discussing the upcoming NHL season. «I'm absolutely shocked from the stories that I heard from very