Mark Messier Says Oilers' Babcock Hire Left Him 'Horrified'

Mark Messier, a Hall of Fame center who spent parts of two decades with the Edmonton Oilers, said Wednesday he was "horrified" by the team's decision to hire Mike Babcock as head coach, according to ESPN's Sept. 23, 2026, report.

What did Messier say about the hire?

"I am absolutely shocked they hired him," Messier said during a conference call promoting the upcoming NHL season, per ESPN. Now an ESPN studio analyst, Messier added, "I'm absolutely shocked from the stories that I heard from very good, reputable, character people about the way they were treated. It's been no secret," ESPN reported. Messier did not name individuals in the quoted remarks, and ESPN did not attribute specific allegations to him beyond that statement.

Who is Mike Babcock and what does his record show?

Babcock, 63, was hired by the Oilers to replace Kris Knoblauch, ESPN reported Sept. 23, 2026. His resume includes one Stanley Cup championship, won with the Detroit Red Wings, and two Olympic gold medals coaching Canada, according to ESPN. Those three championships — one NHL, two Olympic — sit alongside a separate set of numbers now attached to his name: multiple public accusations of mental abuse by players during his NHL coaching career, per ESPN's report.

By the numbers, per ESPN (Sept. 23, 2026):

• Babcock's age at hire: 63
• Stanley Cup titles won as a head coach: 1 (Detroit Red Wings)
• Olympic gold medals won as Canada's coach: 2
• Consecutive Stanley Cup Final appearances by the Oilers under predecessor Kris Knoblauch: 2
• Playoff round the Oilers were eliminated in last season: 1st

Why is the hire considered controversial?

ESPN's report ties the criticism to a pattern of accusations spanning Babcock's NHL tenure. Former Detroit Red Wings forward Johan Franzen has publicly described the coach's conduct as "verbal attacks," according to ESPN, part of a broader set of grievances raised by former players over the years. ESPN's coverage frames Messier's comments as part of that continuing scrutiny rather than a new allegation — Messier's quoted language references accounts he says he has heard from others, not a firsthand incident. ESPN's related reporting also notes the NHL has cleared Babcock to coach amid the Oilers' interest, a procedural step that preceded the hire.

How did the Oilers get from Knoblauch to Babcock?

The coaching change followed two straight trips to the Stanley Cup Final under Knoblauch, per ESPN, a run that ended when Edmonton lost in the first round of the playoffs last season. That first-round exit — a steep drop from consecutive Final appearances — is the on-ice data point the Oilers were weighing when they moved to replace Knoblauch, according to ESPN's report. The team then turned to Babcock, whose championship totals (one Stanley Cup, two Olympic golds) rank among the more decorated in the sport, even as the off-ice numbers — the count of players who have gone public with complaints about his methods — remain part of his public record, per ESPN.

What is the timeline of events?

According to ESPN's Sept. 23, 2026, report: Babcock built his coaching resume over years that included the Red Wings' Stanley Cup and two Olympic gold medals with Canada. Accusations of mental abuse by players surfaced and became, in Messier's words, "no secret." The NHL subsequently cleared Babcock to coach amid reported interest from the Oilers, per ESPN's related coverage. The Oilers then hired Babcock, 63, to replace Knoblauch following the team's first-round playoff exit. Messier's remarks came Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026, during a conference call tied to the NHL season's start.

What does 'cleared to coach' mean in this context?

ESPN's reporting references the NHL clearing Babcock to coach amid the Oilers' interest, a distinction worth defining for readers unfamiliar with league process: it refers to a league-level review step that preceded the club's hiring decision, as described in ESPN's coverage, rather than a ruling on the specific abuse accusations themselves. ESPN's report does not detail the criteria the league applied in that review.

The numbers at the center of the story — one Stanley Cup, two Olympic golds, two consecutive Final appearances under Knoblauch, one first-round exit — sit alongside an uncounted figure: the number of players who, per ESPN, have described mistreatment under Babcock over his coaching career. ESPN's report does not provide a total count of accusers, and HTT News found no additional figure in the cited source.