Sean Avery was a rat before Brad Marchand ever learned the meaning of the word. He went further, acted worse, and pissed off more people, including his teammates on more than one occasion. So while he was hardly a model National Hockey League player, his recent praise of Mike Babcock -- the Edmonton Oilers new head coach -- suggests that the former Detroit Red Wings, Toronto Maple Leafs, and (almost) Columbus Blue Jackets bench boss has the skills to inspire his players.
Heck, they literally made "The Sean Avery Rule" because of Avery's wanton disregard for sportsmanship and fair play. That's a hard player to coach, and an even harder one to inspire.
"He ****ing rode us so hard"
Avery credits Babcock for his NHL career, saying that Babcock taught them how to prepare, how to train, and how to find the next level. Given the extracurricular activites Avery was famous for, the fact that he speaks so highly of Babcock is impressive, because Avery doesn't dole out praise often. There is no "troublemaker" on the Oilers who needs to be brought in line, but there can be little question that some players underachieved last season.
If Babcock sets a consistent standard of excellence, pace of practice and preparation, and the entire Oilers team buys in, that's a recipe for a successful year. Winning a Stanley Cup takes more than just good coaching, but the Oilers have the supreme luxury of knowing that they'll have offense available in droves. Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, assuming healthy seasons for both, are good for 100+ points each, and if Evan Bouchard and Zach Hyman maintain the production they managed last season and the team defense steps up to some degree, the ice is tilted in Edmonton's favor.
Babcock's strategy for the Oilers needs to result in consistent good play from the roster's depth. McDavid and Draisaitl shouldn't have to play 25 minutes a night to win games. Neither player is as young as they once were, and even when they were younger, overplaying them led to injuries or worsening production as the regular season, and then playoffs, stretched onward.
The one question mark, the hardest player on your roster to "inspire" to play better, is the goaltenders. NHL goaltending is voodoo, an odd mix of self-confidence, reaction speed, flexibility and luck. If it IS possible to inspire a goalie to play better through a fiery speech at practice or between periods, then Babcock just might be the guy to do it. And we don't have to wait much longer to find out.
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