Oilers Hire Mike Babcock as 5th Straight Coach in Odd Name Streak
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Jun 25
Oilers Hire Mike Babcock as 5th Straight Coach in Odd Name Streak
3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jun 25
Summary
Edmonton officially named Mike Babcock head coach, handing the Oilers a controversial new bench boss after a disappointing 2025-26 season.
The hire extends an unusual run to 5 straight Oilers coaches whose surnames can be read as slang for male genitalia: Hitchcock, Tippett, Woodcroft, Knoblauch and now Babcock.
Babcock arrives with pressure to reverse last season's step back and push the team forward after another campaign that fell short of championship expectations.
The report says Edmonton still must address depth and goaltending, leaving the coaching change as only one part of its offseason reset.