During ESPN's NHL Opening Night media conference call, franchise legend Mark Messier delivered a scathing critique of the Edmonton Oilers' decision to hire veteran coach Mike Babcock. Messier voiced deep concern over past allegations of inappropriate player conduct and the unconventional onboarding process involving captain Connor McDavid.
The Edmonton Oilers entered the offseason actively looking for a significant coaching change to elevate their already formidable roster. General Manager Stan Bowman ultimately settled on heavy experience, bringing in veteran bench boss Mike Babcock after the club had employed two consecutive first-time head coaches. However, when the topic surfaced during ESPN's official NHL Opening Night media conference call, one of the franchise's absolute all-time greats made it abundantly clear that he wanted no part in celebrating the controversial appointment.
Mark Messier, who captured five Stanley Cups during 12 storied seasons in Edmonton and currently serves as an elite hockey analyst for ESPN, delivered a blistering and uncompromising assessment of the hire. The sentiment reverberated instantly across the hockey world, establishing an intense narrative backdrop as the league prepares to drop the puck on a brand-new campaign. Messier's historical weight within the organization gave his words an undeniable gravity, instantly framing the transition as a high-stakes gamble for the front office.
"I'm absolutely shocked they hired him. I'm absolutely shocked from the stories that I heard from very good, reputable, character people about the way they were treated," Messier stated during the media conference call. "It's been no secret." He added with visible disdain, "I am just horrified about the whole thing, to be honest with you. I could go on and on and on, but I think you get my point."
To fully understand the weight of Messier's public rebuke, one must examine Babcock's tumultuous history within the National Hockey League. Now 63 years of age, Babcock famously stepped down from the Columbus Blue Jackets just weeks into his tenure three years ago after serious allegations of inappropriate conduct involving players triggered a formal NHLPA investigation. Notably, he never coached a single regular-season game in Columbus and had remained completely absent from behind an NHL bench since his high-profile dismissal from the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2019.
Over the course of his extensive career, multiple current and former players have stepped forward with public and private claims regarding bullying behavior and authoritarian psychological tactics. While fellow ESPN analyst Ray Ferraro echoed some of the widespread industry surprise, he noted a distinct pattern in player sentiments regarding the veteran coach. "You don't have a whole bunch of players jumping out and saying, hey, Mike is a great guy, that played for him in the past," Ferraro remarked, adding, "They say he's organized, he's detailed, he's direct. That's what Edmonton is getting."
Addressing the media directly at his introductory press conference back in June, Babcock acknowledged the Columbus episode head-on and stated that he had taken substantial time to reflect on his methods. "Anytime you make anybody feel uncomfortable in your life, you should take a look at yourself," he asserted at the time, emphasizing that the entire situation had been thoroughly reviewed by both the league and the National Hockey League Players' Association.
Beyond Babcock's deeply polarizing personal history, Messier took particular issue with the reported structural process that facilitated the hire. Specifically, he criticized the phase where Edmonton's elite star players, including franchise captain Connor McDavid, actively interviewed the coaching candidate before the front office finalized the multi-year agreement.
"The way that he was onboarded through the players interviewing him is absolutely something that I've never heard of before," Messier argued during the broadcast call. He cautioned that a successful, sustainable franchise requires absolute, crystal-clear separation between management, coaching staff, and the locker room players. Messier warned that blurring those traditional operational lines creates an inherently dangerous dynamic for the organization moving forward.
"I just don't know, if it does go bad and players are having difficulties, who do they turn to? Because if they turn to the leadership, the leadership is management. There's no separation there," Messier explained. Meanwhile, media reactions poured in rapidly; ESPN's Greg Wyshynski shared Messier's pointed remarks on social media, where they quickly went viral. Astute observers and fans were quick to point out the historical irony that Messier himself once helped facilitate the hiring of the notoriously demanding Mike Keenan in Vancouver, suggesting that criticism regarding demanding coaches carried extra layers of historical complexity.
As the calendar turns toward the opening of the regular season next week, Babcock officially inherits an Edmonton roster headlined by Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. This dynamic duo remains widely recognized as one of the most explosive and talented offensive engines in the entire National Hockey League, placing immense pressure on the coaching staff to deliver immediate results.
The central question dominating sports headlines is whether Babcock's notoriously intense, old-school methods will successfully mesh with a veteran team that has already tasted deep, agonizing playoff success and Stanley Cup contention. Whether the championship-winning chemistry holds strong or whether Mark Messier's profound fears ultimately prove warranted will stand as one of the definitive, most closely watched storylines of the entire 2024-25 NHL campaign.
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