Back when I first reacted to the Mike Babcock news, I mentioned the idea of "bad press."
In doing so, I referred to the double-edged nature of the term. In the case of the NHL, one side would view bad press as a player/coach/organization that, despite generating headlines for backing their team at the expense of other individuals, can get the required performance out of their roster. The other side of the bad press concepts refers to a player/coach/organization that generates controversy in a way that damages the entire locker room and leaves a stain on the individual's record.
I grouped now-former Vegas Golden Knights head coach under the former category while putting Babcock into the latter.
And it seems those two types of controversy are going to go head-to-head when the Edmonton Oilers decide who their next head coach will be.
A brief update on the Babcock Saga
Bad news first: Jim Hiller is going to be the next coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs. I saw the news as I was writing this latest entry in my coverage of the Babcock Saga and thought "wouldn't this be nice to include."
Spoiler alert: it is entirely relevant.
I have my thoughts about the hire, namely that this is a coach who will get the Leafs to play defense while also acting as a strong mentor for the goaltending unit. I see why fans might overreact online about the first round exits among other things, but he's definitely one of the better coaches that the Leafs could have hired.
My thoughts aside, is it possible to suggest that Hiller saw the Babcock news and hesitated on a potential job with the Oilers? Not necessarily, but Hiller did interview with the Oilers prior to taking the Leafs job. While Hiller was an assistant coach to Babcock during his previous stint with the Leafs, it is unknown how he views Babcock today.
In terms of the Babcock investigation itself, David Pagnotta believes that the Oilers could be on course to hiring him as their next head coach. While the investigation is still pending, it seems that the results could lean the way of the Oilers.
While there’s no timeline set for the NHL/Babcock investigation (“it’ll be over when it’s over,” a league source told me this evening), there’s growing belief within the Oilers that it’s going to happen. So, we shall see.
— David Pagnotta (@TheFourthPeriod) June 17, 2026
Why Tortorella needs to be the Oilers' next head coach
I've said this before and I will say it again because it doesn't seem that the front office is listening to reason.
The Oilers CANNOT bring Babcock into the organization.
They absolutely CANNOT.
Like, they CANNOT.
HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO SAY THIS??? THEY CANNOT.
This is a can of worms that the Oilers CANNOT open when they already have a handful of cans of worms open.
Tortorella isn't exactly press-free, but at least he has the ability, especially in recent times, to extract success. Look at what he did in Columbus and now Vegas. In fact, since 2019, Tortorella has more playoff series wins than Babcock did since the 2010's started and fewer allegations of invading players' privacy.
If the Oilers want to hire these types of coaches for the sake of winning a Cup, then Tortorella is the far more appealing option.
With their coaching search seemingly down to Babcock and Tortorella, the Oilers have to be smart about this or else risk the franchise's stability in its entirety.
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