NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 9, 2026
The Oilers are looking into hiring Mike Babcock as head coach; the Kings will reportedly name Peter Laviolette as their new bench boss; the latest on the Golden Knights and Hurricanes; and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
TSN: Darren Dreger reported the Edmonton Oilers are consulting with the NHL Players’ Association to see if there are any objections to be resolved before potentially hiring Mike Babcock as their new head coach.
Former Columbus Blue Jackets head coach Mike Babcock (NHL Images).
According to Dreger, if an investigation is required, sources say the league will manage it. The NHLPA has declined to comment.
Dreger’s colleague, Ryan Rishaug, reported members of the Oilers’ leadership group recently spoke directly to Babcock about the possibility of becoming their new coach.
The Columbus Blue Jackets hired Babcock as their new bench boss in the summer of 2023. However, he stepped down before the 2023-24 season following allegations that he asked players to show him personal photos from their phones, sparking concerns about invasion of the players’ privacy.
EDMONTON JOURNAL: cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reporting sources claim that Babcock has directly spoken with Oilers owner Daryl Katz. He also stated that Babcock spoke with several members of the team’s leadership group.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oilers insider Bob Stauffer also reported that the Oilers are interested in hiring Babcock. “From ownership, to management, to the players, (Mike Babcock) is the selection for the Edmonton Oilers hockey club,” Stauffer said.
Babcock had a history of mistreating players during his tenures with the Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs. The Oilers’ interest in him isn’t going down well with some Edmonton pundits, who believe the unavailability of former Vegas Golden Knights head coach Bruce Cassidy has pushed them toward Babcock.
LOS ANGELES TIMES: The Kings are reportedly set to hire Peter Laviolette as their new head coach. While the club hasn’t made it official yet, Laviolette is expected to sign a three-year contract with the Kings.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kings would be Laviolette’s seventh NHL team in his 23-season coaching career. He guided the Carolina Hurricanes to the Stanley Cup in 2006. He also coached the Philadelphia Flyers (2010) and Nashville Predators (2017) to the Stanley Cup Final, and the New York Rangers to the Presidents’ Trophy in 2023-24.
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL: The Golden Knights enter Game 4 of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final holding a 2-1 series lead over the Carolina Hurricanes.
A strong camaraderie among the Vegas Golden Knights players helped them win the Stanley Cup in 2023. The same vibe permeates their dressing room in this postseason.
THE NEWS & OBSERVER: The Hurricanes have yet to name their starting goaltender for Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final on Tuesday.
Brandon Bussi relieved starter Frederik Andersen in Game 3 after the latter allowed four goals in the second period. Bussi backstopped the Hurricanes’ third-period comeback before they fell 5-4 in double overtime.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The speculation grew on Monday after Andersen missed practice for a maintenance day.
THE MONTREAL GAZETTE: The annual Montreal Sports Celebrity Evening turned into an impromptu farewell party for Canadiens winger Brendan Gallagher, who was honored on Sunday as Sports Personality of the Year.
Gallagher, 34, told reporters last week that he would be moving on from the Canadiens. His performance declined this season, leading to a reduction in his playing time. He was a healthy scratch for all but three of the Canadiens’ 19 playoff games.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gallagher has expressed an interest in being traded to his hometown of Vancouver. He confirmed that the Canadiens have permitted his agent to speak with other teams to facilitate a trade. I’ll have more about that in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: The Plano, Texas city council voted to approve a $700 million funding plan for a new arena for the Dallas Stars, who currently reside at American Airlines Center in downtown Dallas.
Oilers hire Babcock. He pulls yet another stupid stunt, ticking off pretty much everyone in the NHL. McDavid becomes a UFA and leaves Edmonton, tired of Bowman failing to build a Cup worthy team.
Hiring Babcock is a big f up Why would you bring controversy into your team. I agree with Paul. It will likely mean bye bye McDavid
Abusers can’t stop being abusive. Ask anyone who was abused by a parent or spouse. I speak from very painful personal experience. I’m better, now, but it took decades of therapy and careful application of pharmaceuticals.
I agree with you guys 100% about Babcock, and I am totally shocked that McDavid and the players would endorse him, given his past behavior. Bowman, on the other hand, seems to be lunging forward in a desperate gamble to save his a…I mean job. It ain’t gonna work out very well for anyone, especially the fans.
Despite his demeanor players like torts, but Babcock another matter he always according many players is not a nice Coach to play for.
I can’t see some of oiler star players going along with his. Minds games. On the bruins even though Larkin has his three team list I’m wondering if Yzerman gives his okay is someone like Charlie McCoy could persuade him to come Boston. Please Boston for the springtime.
Can’t see Boston getting Larkin John, I would also rather have McAvoy. But ya a pretty fair trade. It doesn’t help the B’s as you solve one problem but create another.
The only deal that might make sense is Hagens, plus, plus. And the plusses will need to be good.
Will make us better for sure, enough though? Probably not, still need to add another quality D and move some $.
Proving that GM Stan Bowman is about as astute as a brick.
He has two of the best players in the world, one of whom has a cap hit well under market value, and Bowman still can’t get it to work.
I know, let’s bring in a jerk, that should help.
Singing to the choir on Bowman boys. Jackson screwed the Oilers up more, before he hired Bowman IMO. I would have turfed both of them.
Re Babcock, risky as F*ck move. Desperate is a word I would use. The picture thing is a nothing burger some overly sensitive youngsters got “offended”, the older guys were cool and actually appreciated it initially as Babcock shared his family photos. Jenner and Gaudreau said so publicly.
The abusive stuff is not cool, but one would hope he has learned from it. Torts has. That guy used to snap like a twig on the bench and lose his sh*t on guys on TV. We all saw it. You don’t see that anymore. Bowman’s dad was a mind game guy too. There were lots of them over the years. If they win, folks put up with it.
If Babcock keeps that up and hasn’t learned, this will implode in Edmonton. But McDavid and Draisaitl asked for a disciplinarian and “tough” coach in their pressers. Well, they’re getting one.
So Whalercane, I would suggest they were looking for a jerk. Cassidy had that rep after his first HC gig in Washington, and when he got turfed in Boston. Kinda seems like it works? Short term anyway.
There is no way this happens without those 2 star guys on board. Absolute zero chance.
Wonder if Julien was contacted or if he has hung them up?
Ray, I have to correct you on one thing. I tell you this as a Jackets fan who has followed the team since Columbus was granted an expansion team.
The photos on the phone thing was a matter of perspective. Older players like Jenner didn’t see a problem because sharing pictures of family, etc is part of the world they were raised in and a phone is just a phone.
To younger guys who grew up with smartphones, anything and everything on that phone is private, like a diary or journal and only to be shared with people one is very close to. There was also the implication that Babcock required, not asked, to share pictures. Apparently to establish that Babcock was the boss.
I’m sure Columbus will put in a competitive offer when McDavid “requests” a trade after Babcock shreds the Oilers.
I won’t make predictions on how this goes in Edmonton. We have perceptions of a guy from the outside. He was coaching at the U of S with no issues, they luved the guy. I’ve met him at a golf course on a deck having a beer after a round like we were. Seemed like a pretty normal dude.
The picture thing is definitely a generational thing. We agree on that. Babcock showed his age more than him being a creep IMO.
Personally, I think these young guys need to get over it. Don’t show him your phone if you have pictures of your girlfriend or something on there. Make a joke about it or whatever. Wholly sensitive batman.
I dunno, I just went on a fishing trip up north again, some pics were pretty cool IMO, a bud asked to see them, I handed him my phone he scrolled through them. Seems pretty normal to me. Kinda what people do.
If the two big guns want this, than let them have it. Will be plenty of pressure on all of them, so if this doesn’t work, sh*t could get pretty wild here.
Or it could work out and they play to their potential. McDavid signs an extension next July.
I sure as heck don’t know.
Paul. My experience with the youngers is the opposite. They are raised in the social media era. Pictures are meant to be posted and public. It’s the older players who would be more hesitant. It’s not a defense of babycock but you supposition seems backwards.
Once an abuser always an abuser, it’s who they are. Tells a lot about the organization that they are going in this direction
Reeks of desperation
>>>I would suggest they were looking for a jerk… Kinda seems like it works? Short term anyway.
Ray, you may have hit the nail on the head. Short term is exactly what they have left. So go with a guy who quickly gets results before it all implodes.
Reeks of desperation, but maybe that’s where they are. Or at least they seem to think that’s where they are.
That is 100% where they are Whalercane.
It makes sense that the organization that hired Stan Bowman would hire Babcock.
It’s hard to understand the thinking behind the Oilers’ decision. There are many, many qualified candidates for the job that don’t carry the baggage that Babcock does.
In fact I’d like to know how this all started – Babcock said he was retired and happy.
Who came up with this plan?
The owner? The players? The GM?
Babcock won in Detroit because of an incredibly deep roster. He parleyed that into a job with Toronto after he wore out his welcome in Detroit. Did he win in Toronto? Nope. Did he do abusive stuff in Toronto? Yep. For the life of me I can’t understand why any team would want him. Are the coaching ranks that bad?
What is the Oilers ownership thinking of? You hire a GM involved in a sex abuse scandal and now you are looking at hiring a coach involved in bullying of players and overstepping his authority. Not a good look all around for the team,players ,and the league.
If Edmonton wants a coach like Torts, why don’t they just wait until after the SC is done and hire him?…He has not been extended at this point has he? And he’s done a pretty good job with Vegas. If he wins the cup, why would he say, “I did my job here, now let’s see what I can do with two of the best players in The world.
Does it reeks of desperation…of course because that is what this is. Not just for Bowman but all of the organization incl Katz.
They basically have 1 season…1 and a half max to entice McDavid to stay. Cause you cannot let him walk.
Is there anything you wouldn’t consider, any rock you wouldn’t turn over?
Maybe they hire babcock…maybe someone else…but that simply grazes the surface of the work they need to do this summer.
The coach alone is not enough.
That both Jeff Jackson and Stan Bowman have proven their bumbling incompetence is one thing. However, that a seemingly bright and astute owner such as Daryl Katz would go along with this clown show is disappointing, to say the least.
The Edmonton Oilers have hockey fans across the country shaking their heads in awe at the sheer stupidity of this franchise’s actions over their off season. It’s fairly obvious the current management group is laying the groundwork for a repeat of the Decade of Darkness that characterized the Oilers prior to drafting Conor.
Wow. Reams of stark criticism of the workings of the Edmonton Oilers … and not one response from any of their fans crying “stop picking on us.”
Just reasoned counter-arguments … or agreement with a bullet.
You caught that too, huh, George?
1967 was a long time ago…
Comment of the week honours, George.
Mike drop George. Or maybe keyboard drop.
Boom.