The Maple Leafs vs Oilers matchup Saturday night in Edmonton brings more than two strong teams together. It also sets up a notable reunion, with Mike Babcock facing the Maple Leafs as an opponent after his years coaching Toronto. The puck drops at 7 p.m. ET, 4 p.m. PT.
Edmonton enters the game with an 8-1-1 start, while Toronto arrives having won three straight under a Babcock protégé. That combination alone makes the game important, but Babcock's return to the other bench gives it a different kind of interest.
Rielly remembers Babcock's approach
Morgan Rielly played under Babcock for four-plus seasons, including the 2018-19 campaign when he delivered a 20-goal, 72-point season. Asked about Babcock's return, Rielly said he was a little surprised, but added that he had spoken to a couple of people he knows over there who wanted to bring Babcock in.
Rielly's bigger takeaway was simple. He described Babcock as someone who was passionate about trying to make players better and make the team better. He also said he was pretty sure the Oilers were doing just fine, even if he does not keep track of everything happening there.
Babcock's view of Toronto
Babcock said Toronto's first-overall win in the draft was a home run and praised Auston Matthews' progression in the league. He also had strong words for William Nylander, recalling how he would spend time with kids and stay out for hours playing with them.
Jim Hiller, who spoke to reporters before flying west before Friday, also credited Babcock with giving him his chance in the league. Hiller said Babcock pulled him out of junior when others may not have, and added that Babcock has a lot of passion for the game.
Babcock said he is proud of his time in Toronto, noting that the team lost in the first round three times while he was there, but also saying he knows what the group had and remembers that it was a team full of kids. He added that his time there is far enough in the past that people should move on, even joking that it was about 100 years ago, like The Beatles breaking up.
That is what makes Maple Leafs vs Oilers on Saturday night more than a standard regular-season game. The points matter, the start matters, and the reunion does too.
