The Edmonton Oilers' decision to hire Mike Babcock as their new head coach has coincided with the continuation of an unusual trend: for the last five coaching tenures, the team has appointed individuals whose last names include slang terms for male genitalia.
This pattern, first observed by an individual with considerable free time, links Ken Hitchcock, Dave Tippett, Jay Woodcroft, Kris Knoblauch, and now Mike Babcock. While the trend is undeniably juvenile, its persistence across five consecutive appointments has led some to humorously question if it is a deliberate, albeit unconventional, hiring criterion for the Oilers' front office.
The observation notes the absence of other common terms like 'Johnson' or 'Richard' within this specific five-coach sequence, adding another layer to the perceived coincidence.
Despite the team's recent struggles, including a step backward in the previous season, the focus on coaching names has drawn attention. The Oilers are aiming to improve their performance, with depth and goaltending issues among the areas requiring attention. Whether Babcock, known for his controversial past, can guide the team to success remains to be seen, but his name now forms the latest entry in this peculiar, five-coach lineage.
This trend began with Hitchcock and continued through Tippett, Woodcroft, and Knoblauch, with Babcock's appointment marking the fifth instance. The consistency of this naming convention over multiple coaching changes has sparked amusement and discussion, despite the team's continued pursuit of on-ice success.