Smarter people than I have already asked the necessary questions.

Why are the Oilers going down this road with Babcock?

What could they possibly be thinking? No, really, what’s the upside?

They tell us not to worry. The thing about it is that as fans, all we have is our worry. Or our elation, our intrigue, or our unbridled rage. That’s why we’re fans — we don’t have anything to lose except this cavernous vessel of feelings, this glass case of emotion.

If the Edmonton Oilers hire Mike Babcock, then they’re the ones who will have to deal with the blowback.

And I doubt they care. If this is the move that helps them win, then great, go for it. If nothing else, Mike Babcock is guilty of being a bully and a product of an old-school coaching mentality that was built right here on the Prairies, from the University of Saskatchewan (and back again), through Lethbridge, Augustana University, and finally on a grand adventure throughout the continent.

He’s won the Stanley Cup, that is true. This made me think of the best coaching advice I ever received. Remember former Oilers assistant coach Rob Daum? I got to work closely with Daum in Edmonton for a year.

“Listen, Trevor,” he said.

“It’s Kelvin, actually.”

“Sure thing. Now listen, Trevor, the best coaches have the best players. Want to be a good coach? Get good players.”

Babcock has had some remarkable players to coach in his career. What has he learned from them? Does he understand why scratching Mike Modano in Game 1,500 wasn’t worth the hassle? If Modano does play that game, it’s not even a story — the coach’s name isn’t attached.

I’ve watched Mike Babcock furiously scribble notes from the back row at coaching conferences. I........

© Oilers Nation