Mark Messier 'horrified' by Connor McDavid, Oilers leadership group's involvement in Mike Babcock hire
Messier said he was horrified that Edmonton let veteran players help vet Mike Babcock, whose hiring followed past misconduct allegations.
- On Wednesday, Hall of Fame Oiler Mark Messier declared he is "horrified" by the Edmonton Oilers' hiring of coach Mike Babcock, citing concerns over the coach's history of player mistreatment.
- Oilers General Manager Stan Bowman appointed Babcock over the summer, collaborating with veteran stars Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Zach Hyman, who personally vetted the coach for the Stanley Cup-contending team.
- Messier challenged the hiring process, arguing that leadership must maintain a "separation of powers" to protect players, and said he had "never heard" of players interviewing coaching candidates.
- Babcock's past tenures in Toronto and Columbus involved allegations of inappropriate behavior; former Maple Leafs president Brendan Shanahan previously called his tactics not "appropriate or acceptable."
- The NHL and NHLPA investigations cleared Babcock for employment, finding no basis to restrict his hiring, yet criticism persists from former forward Daniel Winnik, who labeled him "a bully.
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Mark Messier Doesn't Hold Back on Oilers Hiring Mike Babcock
The Edmonton Oilers made a meaningful change in leadership over the summer, as they fired head coach Kris Knoblauch and assistant Mark Stuart, and in their place, hired Mike Babcock and DJ Smith. The move was met with considerable skepticism, considering how Babcock’s reputation has come under fire in recent years due to revelations from […]
Scandalous coach Mike Babcock is back in the NHL. That worries icon Mark Messier. – I'm completely shocked they hired him, he says.
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thesportsleader.comMark Messier ‘shocked,’ ‘horrified’ Oilers hired Mike Babcock
Mark Messier's retired No. 11 jersey hangs from the Rogers Place rafters. So when the six-time Stanley Cup winner shares his opinion on Edmonton Oilers business, it causes a stir. During a media call on Wednesday to preview ESPN's coverage of the NHL's Opening Night on Sept. 29, Messier declared he was "horrified" that the
The scandalous coach Mike Babcock, 63, is back. This makes the legendary Mark Messier, 65, go crazy. – I am completely shocked, he says.
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