NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 28, 2026
Three Oilers stars talk about new coach Mike Babcock, Nick Foligno stumps for Quinn Hughes to re-sign with the Wild, potential breakout players who changed teams this summer, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
TSN: New Edmonton Oilers head coach Mike Babcock was the hot topic for several Oilers players who attended teammate Zach Hyman’s annual charity golf tournament in Toronto on Monday.
Edmonton Oilers center Leon Draisaitl (NHL Images).
Leon Draisaitl acknowledged Babcock’s brief tenure with the Columbus Blue Jackets three years ago. However, he said the Oilers’ leadership group had an “honest conversation” with Babcock about the circumstances behind his decision to step down as Jackets coach.
The Blue Jackets hired Babcock in the summer of 2023. However, he stepped down before coaching a game for them after it was reported he asked players to share personal photos from their phones.
While Babcock hasn’t coached in three years, Draisaitl believes he’s the right coach to improve the Oilers. He said he’s “very excited” to work with Babcock and to learn from him.
Oilers captain Connor McDavid said that he, Draisaitl, and defenseman Evan Bouchard want to be pushed to be better, and he believes Babcock can do that. Hyman, who played for Babcock during his tenure with the Toronto Maple Leafs, said he and his teammates want to win and believe hiring Babcock gives them the best chance to do so.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Babcock’s abrupt departure from the Blue Jackets brought back the stories of his bullying players during his tenure with the Maple Leafs and Detroit Red Wings.
Babcock claims he’s learned his lesson and changed his ways. If so, his hiring could be a positive move, though he’ll have his hands full trying to overcome their shaky goaltending and defensive depth issues.
On the other hand, things could get ugly if Babcock hasn’t changed. Oilers stars such as Draisaitl, McDavid, Hyman and Bouchard won’t have to worry about that. It’s the members of the supporting cast who could be singled out.
SPORTSNET: Minnesota Wild center Nick Foligno understands the pull of playing with family members. He and brother Marcus were reunited this year when the Wild acquired him from the Chicago Blackhawks before the March trade deadline.
Nevertheless, he believes teammate Quinn Hughes should forego the idea of joining his brothers, Jack and Luke Hughes, in New Jersey for a chance to win the Stanley Cup with the Wild.
“That part always works itself out,” Foligno told The Athletic. “You want to team up when it’s a good situation, and it matters. Hopefully, he understands that and realizes this is a great team right now and has a window to win, and he can see that through.”
Foligno pointed out that the Hughes brothers are still young and have plenty of time to play together.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hughes has been dogged by speculation regarding a reunion with his brothers for over a year. He’s eligible to become an unrestricted free agent next July, but indicated at the end of this season that he’s open to signing an extension with the Wild.
Last month, Wild owner Craig Leipold indicated that his team would re-sign Hughes. However, that was before Leo Carlsson’s new contract gave the Anaheim Ducks’ center the highest average annual value in NHL history ($18 million).
Hughes could agree with Foligno that staying in Minnesota gives him a great chance to win the Stanley Cup. Whether the Wild can afford to keep him remains to be seen.
DAILY FACEOFF: Mike Gould recently listed five breakout candidates who changed teams this summer.
They include forward Mavrik Bourque, who the Dallas Stars traded to the Nashville Predators. Winger William Eklund could be another after being dealt to the Ottawa Senators by the San Jose Sharks. So could defenseman Kaedan Korczak, who was acquired by the Pittsburgh Penguins from the Vegas Golden Knights.
Forward Connor McMichael could also be a breakout player after being shipped by the Washington Capitals to the St. Louis Blues as part of the Jordan Kyrou trade. Defenseman Simon Nemec is another candidate following his trade to the Calgary Flames by the New Jersey Devils.
THE ATHLETIC: Joel Ward could be on track to become the second Black head coach in NHL history. The first was Dirk Graham with the Chicago Blackhawks in 1998-99.
Ward spent the past six seasons as an assistant coach with the Vegas Golden Knights before being named head coach of their AHL affiliate in Henderson, Nevada, last month.
Former Golden Knights head coach Bruce Cassidy and New York Islanders coach Peter DeBoer believe Ward has what it takes to become an NHL head coach.
Cassidy said he leaned on Ward’s experience as an NHL player, watching him grow from providing individual instruction to players to holding the entire dressing room’s attention with his voice. DeBoer said he saw Ward as a future coach when the latter played for him with the San Jose Sharks.
Cassidy and DeBoer also believe that Ward is doing the right thing by taking a head-coaching role in the AHL despite his years as an NHL assistant coach. They say it’s the best preparation for an NHL head-coaching career.
BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: The Bruins named Trent Whitfield as the new head coach of their AHL affiliate in Providence.
DAILY FACEOFF: Goaltender Michael Hutchinson announced his retirement after 11 NHL seasons.
From 2013-14 to 2023-24, Hutchinson had a record of 57 wins, 62 losses, and 18 overtime losses in 127 games saved with the Winnipeg Jets, Florida Panthers, Toronto Maple Leafs, Colorado Avalanche, Columbus Blue Jackets, and Detroit Red Wings. He had a career goals-against average of 2.94, a save percentage of .902, and six shutouts.
Hutchinson also had a 2-1-0 playoff record in three games saved with a 2.75 GAA and .910 SP.
As Babcock has been hired the debate about his style in the summer is idle musing. But did he say he has learned from his mistakes?
Here is a quote from the Hockey News:
Babcock was asked whether he ever felt he crossed the line during his multiple tenures as an NHL head coach. “To be honest, no,” he responded.
This is from The Athletic:
“One thing Babcock didn’t do, however, was apologize. Not to the players who have said he was too hard on them. Not to the players who have said he played cruel mind games with them. Not to the players who said he demeaned staffers and others around the team.”
Here is one thing Babcock did say in the Athletic:
“The league’s changed, the players have changed,” he said. “And you have to change and grow as a coach. I know from experience what won in the Olympics in Vancouver in 2010 couldn’t win in Sochi in 2014. You have to adjust, you have to get better, you have to change. And that process starts here tomorrow.”
One thing that Babcock said was: I’m harder on the best guys, by far, than on the guys trying to survive every day …”
McDavid et al gave Babcock’s hiring the green light, which says to me that he and Draisaitl know their window is closing and that this might be the last arrow in their quiver.
Babcock, like him or not, should check off a lot of areas the Oilers struggle with.
A complete and cohesive defensive structure each game.
Defined roles and objectives for bottom 6 players.
And coaching of top players.
Another key for me is just a new coach and assistant who may tweak things more than Knoblauch did which may make the oilers a little less predictable.
So will it work out – time will tell but I am leaning heavy that the Oilers will have the best reg season in the mcdavid era next season. Will it transpose to post season success…i am not willing to be that bold.
I am also not naive, there will certainly be stories after his departure most likely about something shady while being the Oil head coach.
I expect him to last 2 seasons at best then Smith will take over the reigns.
Would have loved to see gallant in EDM.
Took a rangers team to over 100 pts twice and they didn’t have a Mcdavid or draisaitl
Agree with that last sentence LJ, this is an all in move. I think Cassidy was their first choice as a hard ass coach who won’t pander to the best guys, then they moved to Babcock.
The fact that Hyman liked playing for him, and was clear that he though Babcock made him and his team mates in Toronto better players, makes me a little more comfortable with this.
Still some risk that this goes crooked, but to your last point, running out of options.
People also forget how close this team came to winning a cup 2 years in a row. Both times they got beat by a better coached more cohesive team in the Panthers.
Cheesy pricks that they are.
McDavid saying he needs to be pushed to play better says more about why Edmonton hasn’t won a cup with him. When you look at all the top players that have won, none of them needed to be pushed to play harder.
Off season talk is meaningless. To look at the very best player and say what you said, gave me a big laugh. 👍
As for Babcock there seems to be a perception of looking the other way regarding his resume.
Asking Marner when he was a rookie to make a confidential list of players he thought weren’t giving their best effort then sharing the list with the team putting Marner in a very uncomfortable position to say the least.
Health scratching Modano when the playoff berth was already secured leaving him stuck at 1499 career games and denieing him the opportunity to get 1500 in his hometown of Detroit.
Healthy scratching Spezza in the Leafs home opener against his former team with countless family and friends in attendance.
Verbally abused Franzen and Commodore repeatedly to the point that Franzen considered quitting the game.
These facts aren’t learning experiences they are character flaws typically found in egomaniacal behavior. This type of coaching was prominent in the 50’s and 60’s illustrated by Emile Francis making Garry Unger sit on the bench for the entire home game while he was still adding to his all time iron man streak. That coaching style doesn’t work anymore and hasn’t for a long time. Even Torts has mellowed somewhat with players, but not the press.
We shall see but I wouldn’t be optimistic if I was an Oilers fan.
I would also raise an eyebrow to McDavid’s comments regarding the core needs to be better and needs a coach to push them. If you’re the best player in the game and a seasoned veteran and you know what the problem is fix it yourself.