On Saturday night in Toronto, Edmonton Oilers coach Mike Babcock returned behind an NHL bench at Scotiabank Arena for the first time since the Toronto Maple Leafs fired him in November 2019.
Babcock walked off the ice after practice and turned toward the visitors’ dressing room instead of his usual left-side route. The venue shift marked his first regular-season game back in the city since his four-year tenure with the franchise ended.
“I didn’t enjoy the last year-and-a-half as much,” Babcock said, according to The Athletic. “But that’s the business.”
The Saturday matchup highlights contrasting directions for the opposing clubs. The Oilers hold second place in the NHL standings by points percentage, propelled by Connor McDavid’s league-leading 49 points over a 20-game point streak.
Toronto sits in second-last place in the Atlantic Division after dropping seven of their last eight games. Current Leafs coach Jim Hiller, who previously served as an assistant under Babcock in Toronto, now tries to steady the struggling roster.
“This is what I know about Jim Hiller: he’s a real good man, he’s a good person, he’s going to work hard and do his best every day,” Babcock said, as reported by The Athletic.
Lou Lamoriello hired Babcock in 2015 on an eight-year, reported $50-million contract that made him the highest-paid coach in hockey. Kyle Dubas took over as general manager in 2018 before Babcock’s departure the following year.
During his time in Toronto, Babcock compiled a 173-133-45 regular-season record and guided the club to three consecutive postseason appearances. Each playoff run ended in a first-round elimination.
“We set a franchise record for points,” Babcock said, according to The Athletic. “We didn’t have enough success in the playoffs, but that’s often what happens with young teams. In the end, [the Leafs] gave me a five-year holiday, which I really enjoyed.”
Babcock started Friday’s Oilers practice two minutes ahead of schedule, halting a drill at 11:58 a.m. to shout instructions across Scotiabank Arena, The Athletic reported.
Babcock currently ranks 12th in NHL history with 714 career regular-season wins. His coaching resume includes stops with the Anaheim Ducks and a 2008 Stanley Cup title with the Detroit Red Wings.
“I’ve been fortunate to get to coach as long as I have and to enjoy it as much as I have,” Babcock said, as reported by The Athletic.
Saturday night at 7 p.m. ET.
Scotiabank Arena in Toronto.
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“This is five years ago, right? The Beatles broke up, remember?” Babcock said, according to The Athletic.
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