Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid has welcomed the challenge of playing under new head coach Mike Babcock. McDavid believes Babcock can bring the structure Edmonton lacked during a disappointing 2025-26 NHL season.
Speaking with Sportsnet’s Kyle Bukauskas and Elliotte Friedman, McDavid explained what he wants from his new coach. Friedman asked how he wants Babcock to push him.
“I want to be coached. I do,” McDavid said. “There’s areas of the game that I have figured out and they come naturally and easy to me.”
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McDavid also admitted other parts of his game require more guidance. “There’s other areas of the game that I need some help on,” he said. “I need to be coached and we need to be organized.”
The Oilers captain already has confidence in Babcock’s approach. “Babs will have our group organized,” McDavid said. “We are going to be the most prepared team in the NHL.”
That preparation could become important after Edmonton finished last season with a 41-30-11 record. The Oilers then lost to Anaheim in six games during the first playoff round.
Connor McDavid sees structure as the key for Oilers
Friedman then asked McDavid where he personally needs coaching. The captain pointed toward details that often become critical during playoff hockey.
“Obviously there’s finer details and, you know, defensively and things like that,” McDavid said. “Offensively, too.”
McDavid believes elite players can rely on instinct during the regular season. However, he wants Edmonton to have a system when opponents take away those natural options.
“When it matters most, you need to have a system to kind of rely back on and fall back on,” McDavid said. “And we’ll have that.”
From an NHL perspective, that approach fits Edmonton’s needs. McDavid produced 138 points last season, but individual production could not fix defensive and structural problems.
The Oilers changed more than their coaching staff during the offseason. They also revamped their defense and goaltending while adding depth around their core.
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Babcock’s biggest task will be turning those additions into a consistent team structure. McDavid’s willingness to accept coaching suggests the captain understands that challenge.
Edmonton opens its 2026-27 season against the Vancouver Canucks on September 29. The early results will show whether Babcock’s structure can translate into performance.
