Oilers’ stars Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl will face added pressure after Mike Babcock hire

The Edmonton Oilers hired Mike Babcock as head coach, with stars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl publicly backing the decision. However, former NHL defenseman Jason Demers believes that public support now places greater pressure on the two stars, as they will shoulder much of the blame if the Babcock hire fails. The story was reported on August 1, 2026.