Mike Babcock’s team has already made it clear that the Edmonton Oilers won’t be easing into the new season with a softer identity.
After taking over behind the bench, he and his coaching staff are signaling a sharper, more demanding style of hockey, one built on relentless pressure rather than passive defending.
This vision became clear after fresh comments from his associate coach, who outlined exactly what players can expect when training camp opens.
D.J. Smith Sends Strong Message About Oilers HC Mike Babcock’s System
Babcock’s coaching philosophy took center stage after associate coach D.J. Smith detailed how the Oilers plan to play under their new leadership.
Speaking on Oilers Now with Bob Stauffer, Smith stressed that Edmonton won’t commit strictly to either man or zone coverage. Instead, the team intends to blend elements of both systems while making one principle non-negotiable: constant pressure.
“I think it’s going to be a cross between both,” Smith said when discussing the Oilers’ defensive approach.
“We’re working on it throughout the summer to have this down to a science, but I think the one message and the one thing that you can guarantee with Mike’s teams is we’re going to really be a lot more competitive, we’re going to push competitiveness, take away time and space.”
Smith pointed to recent Stanley Cup champions as examples of the style Edmonton hopes to emulate. Florida and Carolina consistently pressure opponents, eliminate time and space, and refuse to be outworked, qualities he believes should become the foundation of the Oilers’ identity.
He also delivered perhaps the clearest message of all, saying, “if you don’t work, you don’t play,” reinforcing the accountability that has long been associated with Babcock’s teams.
These comments fit the direction the organization has taken since naming Babcock the franchise’s 19th head coach.
General manager Stan Bowman hired the veteran coach after Edmonton’s disappointing first-round playoff exit, replacing Kris Knoblauch with someone expected to demand higher standards throughout the lineup.
Before the hiring became official, both the NHL and the NHLPA reviewed Babcock’s previous controversies and ultimately cleared him to return behind an NHL bench.
Smith reunited with Babcock after previously working alongside him in Toronto and is expected to oversee the defensive structure and penalty kill. Assistant coach Paul McFarland remains with the organization, while goaltending coach Peter Aubry will work with a rebuilt crease featuring Tristan Jarry, Frederik Andersen, and Devon Levi.
Smith arrives in Edmonton with extensive coaching experience, including successful runs in junior hockey, four seasons as an assistant with the Maple Leafs under Babcock, five years as Ottawa Senators head coach, and a stint with the Los Angeles Kings that included an 11-6-6 record as interim head coach.
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With Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and other team leaders backing Babcock’s arrival, the expectation is no longer just to play differently, but to compete harder every shift.
