Barn Burner: Boomer & Pinder with Rhett Warrener - How Far Can Mike Babcock Take The Edmonton Oilers?? | BB Clips

Episode Date: September 18, 2026

Boomer, Pinder and Rhett preview the Edmonton Oilers heading into the 2026-27 season after an offseason that brought plenty of change — and plenty of noise. The biggest change comes behind the bench with Mike Babcock taking over in Edmonton, immediately putting a massive spotlight on how this experiment is going to work with Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and the rest of the Oilers’ veteran core. The guys break down the new-look roster, the changes in goal, what Babcock could bring to this group and whether Edmonton has actually addressed enough of its problems to get back into the playoffs. After a disastrous season and a brutal summer from a PR standpoint, there’s no shortage of pressure in Edmonton. Can Babcock get the Oilers back on track and turn them into a legitimate playoff threat again — or could this get messy in a hurry?Video Link: https://youtu.be/hQOPcmESHGE#nhl #nhlshorts #nhlplayoffs #nhlpredictions #nhlhockey #nhlpicks #stanleycup #stanleycupfinal #edmontonoilers #oilersnation CHECK OUT OUR STUFF ⬇️BARN BURNER MERCHhttps://nationgear.ca/collections/shirts/FlamesnationBARN BURNER SHORTS https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLj_bcGtvvo-cW2DHEDZ6dEO5ePDmlhZc9&si=jo8iNGxT4ImhS2Y8📲 Follow us:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fnbarnburner/X (Twitter): https://x.com/barnburnerfn?lang=en🎧 Listen on:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/be/podcast/barn-burner-boomer-pinder-with-rhett-warrener/id1648562889Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3Mc6Qd5U22R2zbMlQ7RxIiProducer: Jack Haverstock Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Okay, we'll keep moving. It is time to preview the Edmonton Oilers, a team where almost everything went wrong last year. They thought about changing coaches at the Olympic break. They didn't and then promptly fired their coach. Maybe the biggest addition for this team isn't on the right side of the screen. It's Mike Babcock who's come in. We thought he might have done coach in a league.

He's not. He's back. He's got term and he's gotten into the ears and the minds. And he's got that core drinking the Kool-Aid at this point. before puck has dropped, dry sidle's gone to bat from, McDavid's gone to bat from. Clearly the core has bought into the Babcock plan to this point. And there's a lot of positivity around this group.

Why not? They are as well rested as they've been heading into a season with their first round elimination at the hands of the ducks. That said, there was also a lot of positivity a year ago. We came in early, we're doing captain's skate sex early, and they had a miserable start. It took them forever to dig out of that hole. It's been a couple years.

We've seen that. But it's the first time they've had an established veteran coach in a long time. on the ice, Freddie Anderson will be in eventually in net. He's hurt right now missing camp. Devin Levi's in. He was well down the depth chart in Buffalo, but was always a highly touted netminder coming up playing world juniors, playing in college, just never worked in Buffalo for whatever reason. Bit of a change on the back end. Nurses out, Ryan Shea,

McClellan comes back in the nurse trade. Matthew Joseph is added, and Alex Formanton as well, two forwards up front. Formatton was playing in the Swiss League last year, has not played in the league. for five years and took one year off of hockey. He has been well off the NHL radar for a long time. News today from camp.

Jason Dickinson left the ice with an injury. He came back out to try it out. We'll keep an eye on that. He's an important piece that added him at the deadline. He's the third line center. Could it be an interesting watch. Should be. For sure between the McDavid contract thing where it's going.

Babcock comes in, Formanton. They've been taking some real heat over, over that. the one thing that they're not going to have to deal with this year is an incredibly short off season. They lost in round one. They don't. It's maybe a difference of what a month, but I feel like. That's a lot of hockey though, and it's hard hockey. It's more than months probably.

It feels like it played a deep June for a while there in what happened. I have no idea. You kind of said, feel like they're probably going to be in a better spot. They might be able to have better success. I don't like talking about them, but I would. will, they've got two of the greatest players, one of the best defensemen, they're rested, and they made good moves this off season. I don't, last year I didn't say that, the year before I didn't say that.

Their moves this year was, they were fine. They're solid. Little tweaks around the edges, but not nothing egregious. It wasn't like missing match and offer sheets on future stars. That team that's on, that you just showed is a better lineup than the year before. Yep. And the two pieces they added the deadline are back and Murphy and Dickinson, they both re-uped. Those are just, they're good pieces.

The question for me remains in net. I like Freddie Anderson a lot. I have not heard a timeline. I don't know if this is weeks, months. I have no idea because it's A, why would you tell them? And B, it's Freddie Anderson whose injury history is incredible, as is his numbers when he's healthy. We know Tristan Jari.

It's been wildly inconsistent. It was not picked up on waivers two years ago. They thought he was a solution last year and he watched Ingram play when it mattered. Levi, huge question mark there as well. very talented, hasn't put it together at the NHL level yet. But you still have McDavid, Drysidal and Evan Bouchard to Rett's point. And all those guys, it looked like a lot of money a couple years ago, they're all on deals now, fellas.

If they were free agents, they'd be given way more. I don't like it. Like Evan Bouchard, 10.5 million for three years. Three more, yeah. It's, and he's a 90-point defenseman. For all of his warts and all of it, that's undeniable. is what it is. If you don't think they're better than last year, you're insane.

Last year, they had 93 points. It was a disaster. No. They were exhausted. The coach wasn't good. Everything that could did go wrong. The over under this year is 104.5. That's an increase of 11.5 points.

I think we'd all expect them to have more than 93 points this year in this division. With that roster, they are minus 900 to make the playoffs, a lock to win the division. Top team for odds at plus 175. president's trophy plus 850 and they are 9 to 1 to win the Stanley Cup. They are a contender, no question. There will be a lot of people on the outside, maybe even some that sit in Mardaloo, that will be wanting bad things to happen.

As far as wins and losses, nothing beyond that. But there is also a very real possibility that the coach isn't a complete disaster and that the goaltending takes care of itself and that guys stay healthy. and they're very good. You have to do something real egregious to mess this up as a coach. Well, and to be fair, like it's been 10 years with these stars.

Like they've done some really foolish things. And to Rett's point, this was an offseason. They didn't put their foot in the bear trap. That helps, right? It's interesting with Connor. This is the first year of a two-year extension. If it doesn't work or they don't win a cup,

does Connor become the off-season story? Or do you run them to free agency? try to work a sign and trade when it's done if he wants out and use them for both years of this incredible steel of a deal. It's a weird conversation. We'll have it all summer, I suppose, but it's just, that's only a summer away. It's exciting to think he might leave for us, right? It would be so heartbreaking if you're in Northern Spain. But in all honest, like at 12 and at, wait a minute, I can get Connor McDavid for 12 and a half.

I'll give you everything. It's 10 firsts, whatever you work. But they still can't. They can't take. What I got to do is 10 first. What? And the other piece. I think he's straight.

Sorry, Ryan, cut you off there. But I think he's straightforwarded enough and given enough to that team and city where it's, I'll pay for 12 and a half. But when I say I'm not signing, I expect. They owe them everything. Yes. He's been a perfect sister.

He owes them nothing. And if they have, if they don't want to ruin their, again, I'm playing the what if Conner. says I'm leaving, right, which we're all praying for. But if he does that, you have to. Well, you can't. You can't sue your franchise. Can you? No.

The moment he says he's gone, he's gone. And the moment he says, I'm staying, he'll stay. Like he's got all the cards. 12 and a half, can you imagine it's a steal. Yeah. And the other part of it is selfless. How great like when you could, you're making 12 and a half and everyone is like, hey, thanks for taking this.

I'm making 12 and a half million. US to live in Edmonton. That's going to buy a lot of don't airs. Yeah. Well, and you know what? Connor can go hawk food and vehicles and clothes every once on TV and subsidize that 12 and half if he needs to get to a higher number. He's going to be fine.

No question about it. Anything else on the Oilers? No. We'll keep moving.