Mike Babcock's controversial reputation just met a major reality check

Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers already look fully bought into new head coach Mike Babcock, at least according to one man who played for him.

This week, longtime NHL defenseman Brendan Smith went public with his read on Babcock, and it wasn't the horror story some expected.

Smith broke into the league under Babcock in Detroit. He called him demanding, but said the systems were elite and he got better every day facing that level of competition.

He compared Babcock's approach to Carolina's Rod Brind'Amour, saying both coaches drive the bus, just in completely different ways. Trust versus knowing exactly where you stand.

Not everyone shares that read. Former Red Wings winger Johan Franzen has called Babcock a bully who tore into people without reason, arena staff included.

Babcock was hired by Edmonton on June 23, brought in by general manager Stan Bowman for a roster already built to win right now.

Why McDavid and the Oilers are all in on this gamble

McDavid put up 48 goals, 90 assists and 138 points last season, with 13 power play goals and a plus-17 rating. That's the player Babcock is inheriting.

Zach Hyman, who has already vouched publicly for Babcock, added 31 goals and 52 points in only 58 games.

Edmonton finished 41-30-11 with 93 points and a plus-13 goal differential, ranked second in the Pacific. Good, not great. That's the gap Babcock is being paid to close.

Hiring Babcock is like bringing in the strictest teacher in the building for the smartest class around, one that's just been undisciplined. It only works if the students actually want it.

And that part matters here. This wasn't ownership forcing a taskmaster on a locker room that resisted it. By most accounts, the players wanted this, McDavid included.

Whether that buy-in survives the first real tough stretch of the season is the question nobody in Edmonton can answer yet.