National Hockey League teams aren't held to a salary cap when it comes to coaching. There's not requirement to keep funds in escrow, or disclose salary terms to the public.
Given the frequency with which NHL owners and general managers fire their coaching staff, it shouldn't surprise that some teams are choosing to withhold that information, rather than releasing it and then admitting once a coach gets fired weeks or months after an extension that they've made an error.
When Mike Babcock emerged from wherever he was awaiting his next NHL opportunity, the only announcement made was that the Edmonton Oilers had hired him. That on its own was enough of a bombshell, and certainly it generated lots of discussion, and so one can't fault the team for keeping other information around term and dollars and cents to themselves.
But it appears, as the 2026-27 season is set to begin, that some more information has reached the public.
Babcock received a three-year deal with a 4th year option
The original scoop appears to be credited to Pierre LeBrun's unnamed internal source. There is a suggestion that Babcock didn't feel a pressing need to unretire, and so the team had to make him an offer that would entice him to return to the NHL.
While it doesn't appear that monetary figures have leaked, Babcock was previously the highest paid coach in NHL history. That huge deal ($6.25 million per season) was connected to his perceived value at the time, departing a Detroit Red Wings franchise that he'd kept as a yearly contender, and pushed higher by his international successes behind the bench.
It's safe to say that the yearly number he signed for with Edmonton is lower than his high water mark. The 2023 deal Babcock signed with the Columbus Bluejackets was reportedly $4 million per year over its two year term. Babcock was never paid that money, instead resigning just ahead of the season opener, but we can assume that Edmonton Oilers GM Stan Bowman made an offer in that ballpark. However, the salary is not all that important.
The part of Babcock's Edmonton deal that leaked is the part that matters. It's a three or four year deal, depending on how things go. That takes the timeline past Connor McDavid's potential contract renewal, and right to the end of Evan Bouchard's $10.5 million per year deal. Zach Hyman and Mattias Ekholm's contracts will also finish during this stretch of time.
If the Oilers remain committed to Babcock, and their players aren't enjoying the coaching environment, the team could look very different by the end of his tenure.
Babcock was brought in to win. To put pressure on every single player in the lineup. The Oilers' superstar players have said one more than one occasion that they want to be both held accountable, and pushed to be better.
Babcock won't shy away from either aspect of a coach's job, but the question that remains to be answered, is if the core of this Oilers team will appreciate Babcock's abrasive style, or if he'll wear out his welcome.
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