Babcock returns to Toronto as Oilers bring 14-3-3 record

Edmonton Oilers coach Mike Babcock returned to Toronto on Friday ahead of Saturday’s scheduled game against the Maple Leafs, with his team off to a 14-3-3 start through 20 games and players praising his approach. Toronto entered the matchup at 8-11-2.

The Oilers’ record put them first in the Pacific Division and third in the NHL overall before the game, according to reports published ahead of the matchup. Toronto had lost five straight games at home, while the teams had met once earlier in the season, when the Maple Leafs won 7-2 in Edmonton on October 24.

Babcock coached Toronto from 2015 until his dismissal on November 20, 2019. The Maple Leafs reached the playoffs in each of his next three seasons after finishing last in his first year, but did not advance beyond the first round. Babcock said he enjoyed his first three seasons in Toronto, while describing his final year and a half less positively.

His return to the NHL bench with Edmonton followed his 2023 appointment as head coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets. He resigned before coaching a game after allegations that he had violated players’ privacy by asking to see pictures on their cellphones. Edmonton’s leadership group,...