An Oilers player says he'll leave if Mike Babcock is hired

Last night, a report from TSN's Darren Dreger sent shockwaves through the Edmonton Oilers' locker room, revealing the franchise is consulting with the NHLPA over potential objections to hiring Mike Babcock as head coach.

And then it got worse for the Oilers front office.

The 2 Mutts Hockey Podcast posted Sunday night that an unnamed Oilers player told them directly: "I can't support the hiring of Mike and if he does become our Head Coach I will sit down with my agent to discuss my options going forward."

That is not a vague concern. That is a player drawing a line.

Babcock resigned from his role with the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2023 amid allegations of invading players' privacy. Dreger's report confirms a further investigation may still be required before any hiring could move forward.

Stan Bowman, Edmonton's general manager, now has a situation on his hands that goes well beyond a simple coaching search.

Connor McDavid's Oilers already facing a messy offseason

Connor McDavid finished this season with 138 points in 82 games. That's one of the most dominant individual seasons in recent NHL history. You don't hand that player a coaching staff he can't trust.

McDavid posted a -8 rating in six playoff games. That number is damning enough without adding locker room friction on top of it.

Leon Draisaitl wasn't much better at minus-2 in the postseason, and the team itself went 41-30-11 in the regular season, good for 14th overall. This is a franchise that has championship expectations, not a rebuild.

Bringing in a coach with this kind of baggage, while your own players are already signaling they'll demand trades, is about the worst way to start an offseason.

The NHLPA consultation alone tells you this isn't a quiet background check. It signals real, organized pushback from inside the player community.

What happens if Bowman moves forward anyway? That unnamed player will make the call to his agent. And he almost certainly won't be the only one.

This story is not finished. Not even close.