Legendary Edmonton Oilers coach Glen Sather gives opinion on Babcock hiring
One of the most beloved figures in Edmonton Oilers history has weighed in on the Mike Babcock hiring.
Glen Sather, who was the architect of the Oilers’ 1980s dynasty, was featured in an interview with Christine Simpson during Wednesday night’s Battle of Alberta broadcast on Prime Video. The 83-year-old hockey executive is currently working as a senior advisor for the New York Rangers, but he’s been keeping an eye on his former team.
When asked about the controversial hiring of Babcock by the Oilers over the summer, the five-time Stanley Cup champion chipped in his two cents.
“I think the situation in Edmonton, they needed a fresh face,” Sather said. “Sometimes you have to do things that may hurt some people in the wrong direction. I would have hired him.
“I think he’s a great coach and he’s going to do a good job in Edmonton. I’m pulling for him 100 per cent.”
Former Oilers GM Glen Sather has high praise for Mike Babcock, calling him a great coach and saying he would have hired him too!
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That is quite a seal of approval from one of the most successful executives in NHL history, and one of the two non-players to have a banner hanging from the Rogers Place rafters. If Sather thinks it was a good idea, then who could question it?
…Funnily enough, another beloved Oilers figure recently came out against the Babcock hiring. Mark Messier ripped the organization back in September for bringing the controversial coach aboard, saying he was “shocked” and “horrified” when he heard about the move.
Sather coached Messier for a long time in Edmonton and provided some reaction to those comments.
“Mark has his own opinions, and he’s not afraid to voice them,” Sather said. “I respect his opinion; I hope he respects mine.”
Sather knows a thing or two about coaching and managing generational NHL talent. He initially got his start coaching the Oilers in the WHA before being promoted to become the GM of the team at the same time. He stayed in that hybrid role from 1980 to 1989, winning four Stanley Cups along the way and finding ways to acquire legendary players like Mark Messier, Jari Kurri, Grant Fuhr, and Glenn Anderson.
He also played a key role in the franchise signing Wayne Gretzky from the struggling Indianapolis Racers of the WHA in 1978. Sather stayed with the Oilers as GM, winning a fifth Stanley Cup in 1990, until he joined the Rangers organization for the 2000-01 season.
It seems like Sather was right to like the move so far, as the Oilers are a stellar 9-2-2 and are among the league’s best teams just 13 games into the Babcock era.