One day after Mark Messier said he was "horrified" by the Oilers' hiring of Mike Babcock, Edmonton forward Zach Hyman invited the Hall of Famer to see how the team is operating under the controversial coach's guidance.
"Listen, everybody has their own opinion," said Hyman, who wore No. 11 throughout his NHL career before arriving in Edmonton, where it's retired in honor of Messier. "[Messier] was No. 11. I was No. 11 for the longest time, and I couldn't wear the jersey here because he's revered here. He's a legend with the Oilers and in hockey, obviously. So, I think that everybody in the game respects him.
"I think if he really wants to see what's going on firsthand, he's more than welcome to come here. I think Oilers fans love him. There's a lot of excitement. There's a lot of positivity here. Nothing but good is happening right now. So to try and spew something negative right now, I think it's his opinion. I have a lot of respect for him, and if he'd like to see what's going on, he's more than welcome to come down."
Messier, who spent 12 seasons with the Oilers and is an analyst for ESPN, critiqued the team's decision to hire the beleaguered Babcock after it had fired Kris Knoblauch in the spring. Knoblauch had led Edmonton to back-to-back Stanley Cup Final appearances before a first-round playoff exit last season.
Babcock has enjoyed success on the ice, including a Stanley Cup title with the Detroit Red Wings and two Olympic gold medals with Canada. But that has been tarnished by accusations of mental abuse by players during his NHL career.
"I am absolutely shocked they hired him," Messier said during a news conference discussing the upcoming NHL season. "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."
Former Red Wings star Johan Franzen cited Babcock's "verbal attacks" as a catalyst to his emotional breakdown. When Babcock was fired from his job with the Maple Leafs in 2019 after five seasons, then-president Brendan Shanahan said his coaching tactics were not "appropriate or acceptable." While coaching the Maple Leafs, Babcock had asked then-forward Mitch Marner in supposed confidence to discuss his teammates and then told those players what Marner had said.
In 2023, Babcock was hired by the Blue Jackets but never coached a game for them after violating players' privacy by asking to see their cellphone camera rolls.
The NHL investigated Babcock's resignation in Columbus. In June, the league cleared the way for the Oilers to hire him.
"Our investigation has concluded that, even in a light least favorable to Mr. Babcock, there is no current basis to restrict his employment," the NHL said in a statement.