- May 21, 2026
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Whenever an NHL team has a new head coach coming into a season, that typically means things didn’t go as planned the year prior. That’s mostly the case entering the 2026-27 season, as the Toronto Maple Leafs (Jim Hiller), Edmonton Oilers (Mike Babcock), Vancouver Canucks (Manny Malhotra), and Los Angeles Kings (Peter Laviolette) are all looking to right the ship, so to speak, with new voices behind the bench. The Vegas Golden Knights (Ryan Craig) are a rare exception, as they have a new head coach despite coming off a Stanley Cup final appearance.
Counting on a new head coach to conjure better results out of an unchanged roster is ofter a fool’s errand, but sometimes, a fresh approach really does pay immediate dividends, especially for teams trying to make that final jump into contender status.
On Tuesday’s episode of Daily Faceoff LIVE, hosts Tyler Yaremchuk and Carter Hutton were joined by Steve Peters to discuss which new head coach will make the biggest difference for their team.
Tyler Yaremchuk: What team do you think will get the biggest bump from their new bench boss?
Steve Peters: I think the biggest bump, at least early, is going to be your hometown Edmonton Oilers. I think with Babcock, you’ve heard him say the right things. He’s saying the right things in the room, he’s saying the right things in the media. I think Connor McDavid is inspired. I think you’re going to see the new coach bump in Edmonton early. I think you’re going to see a team that’s near the top of the standings by the end of October to early November. I’m not saying that’s where they end up, sorry Ty. I think this is a guy that’s going to wear on you. I think he’s going to wear on the stars. I think (Leon) Draisaitl and Babcock may not see eye to eye by February, but at least early, expect the Oilers to get big coach bump.
You can catch the full discussion and the rest of Tuesday’s episode here…
Continue reading...
Counting on a new head coach to conjure better results out of an unchanged roster is ofter a fool’s errand, but sometimes, a fresh approach really does pay immediate dividends, especially for teams trying to make that final jump into contender status.
On Tuesday’s episode of Daily Faceoff LIVE, hosts Tyler Yaremchuk and Carter Hutton were joined by Steve Peters to discuss which new head coach will make the biggest difference for their team.
Tyler Yaremchuk: What team do you think will get the biggest bump from their new bench boss?
Steve Peters: I think the biggest bump, at least early, is going to be your hometown Edmonton Oilers. I think with Babcock, you’ve heard him say the right things. He’s saying the right things in the room, he’s saying the right things in the media. I think Connor McDavid is inspired. I think you’re going to see the new coach bump in Edmonton early. I think you’re going to see a team that’s near the top of the standings by the end of October to early November. I’m not saying that’s where they end up, sorry Ty. I think this is a guy that’s going to wear on you. I think he’s going to wear on the stars. I think (Leon) Draisaitl and Babcock may not see eye to eye by February, but at least early, expect the Oilers to get big coach bump.
You can catch the full discussion and the rest of Tuesday’s episode here…
Continue reading...