The Mike Babcock-to-Edmonton rumours were already enough to light up the hockey world.

Now there may be another name attached to it.

According to David Pagnotta, if Babcock officially joins the Edmonton Oilers as head coach, one name to watch as a possible addition to his staff is D.J. Smith.

And honestly? From a pure hockey standpoint, that might be the most interesting part of the entire story.

Babcock being linked to Edmonton is already controversial, loud, and impossible to ignore. His resume is stacked, but so is the baggage. He has won a Stanley Cup, coached Olympic gold medal teams, and has been behind some of the most structured teams of the modern era. But he also comes with a reputation that has divided players, fans, and media for years.

That is where D.J. Smith becomes such an interesting piece.

If the Oilers are really going down the Babcock road, they may need more than just an experienced head coach. They may need a staff that can balance structure, communication, accountability, and modern player relationships. Smith could be the guy who helps bridge that gap.

Smith and Babcock already have history together. Smith worked under Babcock with the Toronto Maple Leafs, and at the time, Babcock was very high on him.

“The thing with D.J. is, in my opinion, he’s going to be a good NHL head coach,” Babcock once said. “I always look when I’m hiring for serial winners. Wherever they’ve gone, they’ve won. That means something. Did you win in the playoff time? Were you able to deliver?”

That quote matters because it tells you something important. Babcock clearly trusted Smith. He saw him as more than just another assistant standing behind the bench with a whiteboard. He viewed him as a coach with leadership qualities, a winning background, and the potential to run his own NHL team one day.

Smith eventually got that chance with the Ottawa Senators. Was it perfect? No. Ottawa was a rebuilding team for most of his tenure, and the results did not exactly scream Stanley Cup contender. But that job was never easy. He was dealing with a young roster, pressure, inconsistency, and a franchise trying to climb out of the basement.

That experience could actually help Edmonton.

The Oilers are not rebuilding. They are not trying to figure out who they are. They know exactly who they are supposed to be: a championship-or-bust team built around Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.

That is why a Babcock-Smith combination would be fascinating.

Babcock would bring the big-picture authority. He is the veteran voice. The structure guy. The coach who has been through deep playoff runs, Olympic pressure, and championship expectations. Whether people like him or not, he has coached massive hockey markets and massive hockey moments.

Smith, meanwhile, could bring familiarity, energy, and a slightly different communication style. He has been a head coach. He knows what it is like to manage a room. He knows what it is like to take the heat when things go wrong. And after being behind NHL benches in Toronto, Ottawa, and Los Angeles, he has seen the league from multiple angles.

For Edmonton, that matters.

This team does not need a science project. It does not need a coach learning on the fly. The Oilers need a staff that can walk in and immediately command attention. They need someone who can push the right buttons without wasting another year of McDavid and Draisaitl’s prime.

That is the biggest reason this pairing could work.

Babcock has always been known for structure. Edmonton has often looked like a team that can outscore its problems, but not always control them. In the playoffs, that usually catches up to you. The Oilers have the high-end talent to beat anyone. What they have lacked at times is the ability to shut games down, manage momentum, and play the ugly hockey required to survive four rounds.

A Babcock-led staff would almost certainly try to fix that.

Smith could help with the defensive details, the penalty kill, the bench management, and the day-to-day player communication. He is not some random name being tossed around. He is someone Babcock knows. Someone Babcock has trusted before. Someone who has already been through the grind of an NHL head coaching job.

That could be important if Edmonton wants a staff with layers.

The Oilers do not just need a motivator. They need a staff that can challenge stars, develop depth players, manage egos, and survive the insane pressure that comes with coaching in Edmonton. This is a Canadian market where every mistake gets dissected, every quote becomes a headline, and every playoff loss feels like a national event.

Babcock and Smith would not be walking into a quiet rebuild. They would be walking into the hottest seat in hockey.

But maybe that is exactly why Edmonton would consider it.

The Oilers are not trying to be comfortable. They are trying to win the Stanley Cup. Sometimes teams at this stage go looking for a coach who will calm everything down. Other times, they go looking for a coach who will turn the temperature up.

Babcock would absolutely turn the temperature up.

Smith might be the assistant who helps make that temperature manageable.

Of course, there is risk. There is no pretending otherwise. Babcock’s return to an NHL bench would bring immediate criticism. Edmonton would have to be fully prepared for the backlash, the questions, and the scrutiny. The Oilers would also need total buy-in from the leadership group. If McDavid, Draisaitl, and the rest of the room are not on board, this kind of hire could go sideways fast.

But if the players do buy in?

Then this could be a massive swing.

Babcock’s resume speaks for itself. Smith’s connection to him makes sense. And together, they would give Edmonton a coaching staff with experience, familiarity, structure, and plenty to prove.

That last part might be the most dangerous thing.

Babcock would be trying to prove he still belongs in the NHL. Smith would be trying to prove he deserves another shot as a major voice behind the bench. Edmonton would be trying to prove this core can finally finish the job.

That is a lot of pressure.

But it is also a lot of motivation.

If the Oilers do hire Mike Babcock, do not be shocked if D.J. Smith is one of the first names connected to his staff. And if that happens, Edmonton would not just be hiring a head coach.

They would be building one of the most talked-about benches in the entire NHL.