The rumors surrounding former Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Mike Babcock potentially joining the Edmonton Oilers have sent a jolt throughout the hockey world.
It’s not just that the Oilers are seemingly scraping the bottom of the coaching barrel. It’s that Edmonton’s desperation has led them to pursue a coach with a checkered history.
Beyond the personal issues Babcock had with some players in the past (here’s looking at you, Mitch Marner), there’s a harsh truth Maple Leafs fans learned all too well.
Babcock is a great coach from a technical standpoint. He understands the game well and can win. The problem is that he’s an old-school coach. And by “old-school,” we’re not talking about a guy that plays trap hockey or dump-and-chase, grinding hockey.
We’re talking about a guy that likes to get into players’ faces. He doesn’t mind bullying guys and intimidating rookies.
That was sort of the culture 40 years ago. But society and sports have changed as a whole. Coaches are no longer viewed like military drill instructors. Coaches play a crucial role in building and developing players.
When it comes to veterans, good, modern coaches can understand when micromanaging isn’t really necessary. A good example of that is John Tortorella in Vegas. Early in his tenure, Torts made it clear that he was coaching a veteran group. So, he didn’t want to get too much in the way.
That’s the sort of situation Babcock would be getting himself into in Edmonton. It’s not that he should let the players do whatever they want. But players like Leon Draisaitl, Connor McDavid, Evan Bouchard, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Darnell Nurse, and Zach Hyman, among others, know what the NHL is like. They don’t need a coach berating them about stuff they’ve already been through.
Such players need a coach who can be the voice of reason and provide guidance when needed. Good coaches on veteran teams understand the balance between taking the heat off players and allowing them freedom to act.
That’s not Babcock. He’s controlling and likes to micromanage stuff. He’s the sort of guy who will get into McDavid’s face and tell him what to do. Again, it’s not that McDavid is above a coach, but do the Oilers really want Babcock overriding McDavid?
Maybe Babcock’s grown a little wiser, like Torts has. But who knows? Babcock’s demeanor was all right when Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, and William Nylander were rookies. But as the Leafs erstwhile Core Four grew, they grew out of Babcock. They had much more success under the laissez-faire style of Sheldon Keefe. Sadly, the Leafs were unable to make much headway during that time.
If there’s any more evidence needed to prove that in-your-face coaches are a relic, look at what happened with Craig Berube.
That’s a painful lesson the Maple Leafs learned, and it’s one the Oilers are poised to learn, should they pursue Babcock.
