Hockey legend Mark Messier sharply criticizes Edmonton Oilers over hiring of coach Mike Babcock
Edmonton Oilers Hall-of-Fame legend Mark Messier used a sharp ESPN interview to condemn the club's decision to hire coach Mike Babcock and the hiring process itself, saying he is "just horrified".
What happened
ESPN's Greg Wyshynski published a transcript of an interview in which former Edmonton Oilers captain and Hockey Hall of Famer Mark Messier bluntly criticizes the club's management for its decision this summer to hire Mike Babcock as head coach. As reported by the Edmonton Journal, Messier said he is "just horrified" both by the choice itself and by how the decision was made.
Background
Over the summer, the Oilers fired head coach Kris Knoblauch and assistant coach Mark Stuart, and general manager Stan Bowman brought in Babcock to replace them. Babcock was most recently associated with the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2023 but resigned before ever coaching a game with that club. Several former players have criticized Babcock's treatment of players, while others — including Oilers forward Zach Hyman — have offered positive assessments of him.
A contradiction in the criticism
The Edmonton Journal points to a certain irony in Messier's remarks: he himself played under one of hockey's most authoritarian coaches, Mike Keenan, and Messier's own father, Doug, a Junior A coach in Alberta, was also known for an aggressive, forceful style and was repeatedly fined and suspended for bench antics. The outlet also notes unconfirmed rumors that Messier himself was instrumental in past coaching changes — the ousting of Roger Neilson with the New York Rangers and of Tom Renney in Vancouver, both replaced by Keenan — though Messier did not address this during the ESPN interview.
Wider context
An Edmonton Journal columnist suggests the Babcock hiring reflects a broader trend: NHL players now wield more influence than ever before. Star forward Connor McDavid, for instance, is said to have added more than a billion dollars to the Oilers' franchise value over the past decade, making it economically unwise for the club to disregard his views or those of other team leaders.
