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Mike Babcock is back on the ice in Edmonton, and the pace left even him sore

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Cite

The Associated Press. (2026, September 17). Mike Babcock is back on the ice in Edmonton, and the pace left even him sore. Toronto Star. https://www.thestar.com/sports/hockey/mike-babcock-is-back-on-the-ice-in-edmonton-and-the-pace-left-even-him-sore/article_a8a5dda9-2232-52e7-8348-a300e0a4fca1.html

Dated when The Aporia collected the article, usually within hours of publication. Check the original for its exact date and byline.

Toronto Star · collected 2026-09-17 · by The Associated Press

Quick Summary

Mike Babcock had his first practice session as Edmonton Oilers' head coach, which lasted four hours and left him sore due to its intensity. The players noted that the practice was highly detailed and focused on speed and fitness standards. Babcock previously resigned from the Columbus Blue Jackets following an investigation into his conduct, particularly regarding requests for personal photos from players. He stated that the leadership of Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Zach Hyman convinced him to take the coaching role in Edmonton.
Written by AI on 2026-09-18, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

AI analysis

Story summary

Mike Babcock, recently hired as head coach of the Edmonton Oilers after a controversial departure from the Columbus Blue Jackets in early 2023, held his first on-ice practice session with the Oilers on Thursday. The four-hour high-intensity training included two two-hour sessions for about 20 players each. Babcock emphasized fitness and teamwork, planning to play with 12 forwards and ensuring all players are important contributors.

During a media scrum, Babcock joked that his feet hurt but stated he needs more time before making lineup decisions. He was cleared by the league following an investigation into his conduct while coaching the Blue Jackets last year. Babcock signed with Edmonton this spring after Kris Knoblauch was fired before beginning his new three-year contract.

Babcock's approach at Oilers camp is notably intense, setting a high standard for player fitness and team cohesion. If the Oilers hadn't offered him the position, he said he would have been hunting deer on his property in Ohio.

Written for “Oilers Hockey Camp” on 2026-11-03, grounded in this article and the 2 other(s) covering the same event.

Story

📰 Oilers Hockey Camp
Sports · 3 article(s) covering the same event. See how they differ ↓

Compared with similar articles

This article reads unscored and hedges 4% of its claims. Each row says how that neighbour differs.
'My feet hurt': Babcock, Oilers open camp with uptempo practices Same event
Toronto Star
Hedges 1 of 39 claims Outlet record 64/100
Babcock opens Oilers camp with uptempo practices Same event
Global News
Hedges 1 of 39 claims Outlet record 63/100
Mike Babcock is back in the NHL as the Oilers and four other teams make coaching changes Different event
Toronto Star
Hedges 2 of 37 claims Outlet record 64/100
“Article A describes Babcock's first on-ice practice as head coach of the Oilers, while Article B discusses his return to coaching in general and mentions past events including his resignation from Columbus Blue Jackets.”
How this article was measured signals, leaning charts, publisher record, byline, topics and claims

Signals How these are calculated →

Claims extracted
25
sentences that state something as happening or true
Uncertain
4%
1 of 25 hedged ("reportedly", "may", "according to")
Leaning
not political
takes no side on a contested political question
Publisher signals
64/100
Toronto Star's corrections and hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.
Outlets on this story
3
Sports
Same framing elsewhere
1
articles that frame the event the way this one does
Analyzed 2026-09-18 · how these are computed

How this is being covered How these are calculated →

Article leaning vs. publisher reliability
Source leaning vs. consistency

Publisher

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Who wrote this

The Associated Press
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Topics

Alberta Columbus EDMONTON Oilers the Edmonton Oilers

Subjects

Babcock PERSON · 6× Draisaitl PERSON · 3× Oilers ORG · 3× EDMONTON GPE · 2× Alberta GPE · 1× Columbus GPE · 1× Kris Knoblauch PERSON · 1× Mike Babcock PERSON · 1× the Blue Jackets ORG · 1× the Edmonton Oilers ORG · 1×

Narrative

Mike Babcock had his first on-ice practice as head coach of the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday, and it was four hours of high-speed, detail-oriented skating and learning for both coach and players.
framing: assertive · carried by 1 article(s) · first seen 2026-09-18
🔮 Babcock said if the Oilers hadn’t approached him, he would be back in Ohio bow hunting for deer.
2026-09-18 · Toronto Star
Mike Babcock is back on the ice in Edmonton, and the pace left even him sore · assertive framing

Claims (25 extracted, 1 hedged)

Mike Babcock had his first on-ice practice as head coach of the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday, and it was four hours of high-speed, detail-oriented skating and learning for both coach and players. asserted
it → have → coach
“My feet hurt right now,” Babcock said afterward. asserted
Babcock → hurt → ?
“In order to play here, you’ve got to be fit and we’re going to play 12 forwards and everyone’s going to be important. asserted
everyone → play → forwards
I think it’s important you establish a standard for what’s accepted and everybody knows.” asserted
everybody → think → standard
Babcock was cleared to work for the Oilers following the league’s conclusion of an investigation into his conduct while with Columbus in 2023. asserted
Babcock → clear → 2023
He signed with Edmonton this spring after the team fired Kris Knoblauch before his new three-year contract had been started. asserted
contract → sign → Knoblauch
Babcock resigned from the Blue Jackets less than three months after taking the job. asserted
Babcock → resign → job
At the time, his requests for personal photos from players, which he said were part of an effort to get to know them, drew criticism as an invasion of privacy. asserted
he → say → privacy
Babcock said if the Oilers hadn’t approached him, he would be back in Ohio bow hunting for deer. asserted
he → say → deer
“I would say this to you. asserted
I → say → you
If they hadn’t come and talked to me, it’s not like I was looking for work,” he said. asserted
he → come → work
“When I see my deer pictures in the morning, I can’t believe I’m doing this as a matter of fact.” asserted
I → see → fact
He said the Oilers leadership group of Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Zach Hyman convinced him they want to win a championship and “I’m going to do what I can to help them out.” asserted
I → say → them
Draisaitl said the first practice under the new coach was intense and detail oriented. asserted
practice → say → coach
“You know, he’s energetic. asserted
he → know → ?
He wants things done a certain way, and he wants it done right,” Draisaitl said. asserted
Draisaitl → want → ?
“I think anyone in the building could hear it and probably see it. uncertain
anyone → think → it
He cares about the little things, so it was a good first day.” asserted
it → care → things
Defenseman Ryan Shea agreed that Babcock was stressing details and speed. asserted
Babcock → agree → details
“I think that was his big message today,” said Shea who was signed to a five-year contract as a free agent this summer. asserted
who → think → agent
Everything, he wanted everything quick and just the little things, like he wants everyone finishing the drill, stopping at the net, everything that it takes to be a good player and a good team. asserted
it → want → that
One of the many decisions Babcock faces in the future is how to play McDavid and Draisaitl. asserted
Babcock → face → McDavid
He said he plans to start with the two playing on the same line, much as the two did last season. asserted
two → say → line
“What we’re going to do is we’re going to learn about each other,” he said. asserted
he → go → other
“I’m just going to watch them.” asserted
I → go → them
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