When the Edmonton Oilers say they will go any distance to find Connor McDavid’s next head coach, they meant it. Although they are completely blocked from reaching Bruce Cassidy by the Vegas Golden Knights, the Oilers are doing their due diligence around the NHL’s coaching carousel. It may even included retired head coach Mike Babcock.
Unfortunately for the Oilers, the interest doesn’t seem to be reciprocal. According to a report from an NHL insider, Babcock has ruled out the rumors with a straightforward statement. Edmonton will have to look elsewhere for its 10th head coach in the last 15 years—and McDavid‘s sixth since being selected with the first overall pick in 2015.
“I’m retired. Loving it,” Mike Babcock told Darren Dreger, as TSN‘s insider’s reported.
Babcock’s numbers
Babcock has been away from the NHL since his brief, yet highly controversial tenure with the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Stanley Cup-winning coach—who won in 2008 with the Detroit Red Wings—resigned from his position in Columbus just months after signing due to an investigation into improper behavior.
Mike Babcock is enjoying retirement.
So far in his career, Babcock has coached in 1,301 games. The 63-year-old bench-boss boasts a 700-418-164-19 (W-L-OT-T) record. His 700 wins put him on 12th for most by a head coach in NHL history.
Connor McDavid’s Oilers may lose Bruce Cassidy sweepstakes to none other than Golden Knights
If he were to come out of retirement, Babcock would become the fifth active coach with the most victories, only trailing Joel Quenneville, Paul Maurice, Lindy Ruff, and John Tortorella.
Edmonton still searching for head coach
Based on his reported answer to Dreger, it does not look as if he will come out of retirement to coach McDavid and the rest of the title-hungry team in Edmonton. For the franchise in the Gateway to the North, its search for a replacement for Kris Knoblauch is only just beginning, and it will not get away with cutting any corners.
