After firing Kris Knoblauch following the 2025-26 season, the Edmonton Oilers were hoping that the reason they had to let him go -- leaking that they were trying to interview Bruce Cassidy -- would be made available by the Vegas Golden Knights. Vegas had blocked Edmonton (and all other teams) from even speaking to him. As the messy situation unfolded, it was becoming clear that Cassidy was their top choice.

Fast forward a couple of weeks, and suddenly Mike Babcock is "their guy." 

Say what?

Without confirmation that Cassidy would ever be permitted to interview, the Oilers have shifted their coaching search focus to an ex-NHL coach who hasn't won a playoff series since 2013 or coached a playoff game since November 2019. Oh, and that same guy, who also hasn't won a Stanley Cup since 2008, has a history of bullying players, treating human beings like garbage, and abusing his power for all the wrong reasons. 

Sure, Babcock has an incredible resume that would put him in the conversation for the most decorated NHL coach ever. And yes, he might push this current group of Edmonton Oilers beyond their comfort zone, hold them accountable, and the team might win. This may also be one of the biggest blunders in recent coaching memory, all because the Oilers didn't want to wait a week to say if Vegas was going to change their minds.

Something Happened Here...

The NHL reaffirmed that Vegas is within its rights to deny Cassidy permission to interview with divisional rivals like Edmonton. It's certainly possible that the Oilers' first choice is completely off the table, at least for now. But did the Oilers know that? Was there another conversation with Golden Knights management and ownership that essentially guaranteed that the interview was never coming?

Maybe, but it seems far-fetched to imagine the same manager, Kelly McCrimmon, who said they wanted to focus on the playoffs, would suddenly take the time to speak with the Oilers during the Stanley Cup Final. 

All the while, the Los Kings swooped in and hired Peter Laviolette, another possible option for Edmonton. 

Somewhere along the way, a coach that no other team is even giving the time of day to entered the picture. Babcock was a rumor, a theory, a wild idea that no one really took seriously. It was a suggestion that garnered similar responses from analysts, fans, and media -- 'They better not do that.'

Then came Darren Dreger's report that the Oilers were consulting with the NHLPA to determine whether there were any objections that would need to be resolved before potentially hiring Babcock.

It was later revealed that the Oilers' leadership group had recently spoken directly with Babcock to discuss this possibility. They were on board. 

Dreger added that if an investigation is warranted, the NHL would manage it, and that there was even a suggestion that D.J. Smith would likely join Babcock's staff if he's hired.

Clearly, this was much further down the road than anyone could have imagined.

How Desperate Are the Oilers That This Became Real?

There is no doubt that the inexplicable and illogical urgency is driven by the fact that the coaching pool got uncomfortably small. Pair that with Connor McDavid's timeline and his incredible urgency to win and you get to where things sit today.

The Oilers are waiting for the NHL to approve a move that just a few days ago, everyone thought was a bad joke.

McDavid signed a two-year extension, meaning next season is a critical one before he becomes an unrestricted free agent. The first chance Edmonton had to make good on the gift he gave them ended in a first-round loss to Anaheim.

“I think it’s ownership driven… It’s a really desperate time there and there’s no room for error," said Elliotte Friedman. He added that Daryl Katz is pushing for this, which explains his willingness to pay a coach for three years after letting him go. It explains why the Oilers are willing to ignore the optics of this and do what they feel they need to. "It's a desperate time there. There's no room for error," he added. There is a feeling that the players "got away with too much."

Oilers Will Have to Lie in the Bed They're Making

The fact that Edmonton is no longer willing to wait for Cassidy, or go another route, means they're banking that his wildly unpopular choice is the right one. It's not; this is a decision they're going to have to live with and face the consequences of. 

The fallout from this could be gigantic. Players may avoid the Oilers in free agency or via trade. Some current members of the roster might want out. If the Oilers don't win, it will look bad. If an incident happens that proves Babcock hasn't learned anything in his time away, it will look worse. 

Ownership and the top players on the team don't seem to care. They believe this is the right choice, opinions be damned. 

Bookmark The Hockey News Edmonton Oilers team site to never miss the latest news, game-day coverage, and more. Add us to your Google News favourites, and never miss a story.