Jeff Jackson went on the record about Mike Babcock this week, and the Oilers president left no room for doubt about any of it.
I've been extremely impressed by Mike, D.J. Smith and the whole coaching staff, Jackson told Pierre LeBrun.
The energy within the team and in the coaches' room is palpable. That assessment came after the first week of camp.
That hire was the most controversial thing any club in the league did all summer.
He resigned in Columbus in 2023 before coaching a game, after a Spittin' Chiclets report that he asked players to share personal photos from their phones.
“I've been extremely impressed with Mike, D.J. Smith and the entire coaching staff. The team is full of energy, and you could feel it from the very first week of training camp. It's been great.” - Jeff Jackson
The league and the players' association both investigated. He was cleared in June.
Edmonton worked through all of it with management and the leadership group before going ahead.
“Expectations are always high for our team, and that's exactly what we want. We have a long season ahead of us, but our players are more focused than ever.” - Jeff Jackson
Jeff Jackson leaves no doubt about Mike Babcock after Edmonton's bold decision
Jackson says the lineup is deeper than ever and that Babcock will run it more inclusively than before.
You see what happens when teams do that, like in Carolina, he said. That's the priority as the season starts.
Edmonton reached the Cup Final in 2024 and again in 2025, then put together a wildly uneven year.
They finished second in the Pacific at 41-30-11 and lost to Anaheim in six games in the first round.
Connor McDavid is signed for this season and next on a $12,500,000 cap hit. That's the window written out in plain numbers.
Mark Spector already had Babcock pulling the McDavid line 15 seconds into the first exhibition after a Leon Draisaitl turnover.
Neither of them cracked 20 minutes that night, which is exactly what the coach keeps telling everybody he wants.
“I think our lineup is deeper than ever. Mike will lead the team in a more inclusive way, making sure everyone feels important and has a role to play. That's one of our priorities as the season begins.” - Jeff Jackson
Greg Wyshynski predicted no statistical difference for either star this season. Rotowire ranks Babcock second in the entire league for pressure.
Edmonton is 2-0 through the exhibition schedule after a 2-1 overtime win in Winnipeg on Tuesday.
Vancouver hosts them tonight, then visits Edmonton on September 29 to open the real thing.
Nobody in that organization is short on conviction right now. That's what September sounds like everywhere.
So what is an endorsement worth in September? A club president praising a new coach works like a landlord describing a tenant in week one. Nothing has been tested.
Jackson put his own name on this hire in public. The first losing week is when everybody finds out what that was actually worth.
Source : Le président des Oilers est « très impressionné » par Babcock
Do you trust Jeff Jackson's read on the Mike Babcock hire?
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