Edmonton Oilers hire Mike Babcock as head coach

The Edmonton Oilers have hired Mike Babcock as their new head coach, ending his retirement and bringing him back to the NHL after seven years away from the bench. Babcock was introduced in Edmonton on Tuesday and said he was excited by the opportunity, noting that his conversations with team leaders Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Zach Hyman helped convince him to return. He replaces Kris Knoblauch, who was dismissed after the Oilers' firstround playoff loss to Anaheim. The move came after the NHL reviewed Babcock's conduct during his short stint with the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2023 and cleared Edmonton to proceed. The Oilers also added former Ottawa Senators coach D.J. Smith to the staff as associate coach.