Mike Babcock isn't known for patience, and the Edmonton Oilers are about to find out who runs out of it first.
Trent Frederic looks like the early candidate to land in his doghouse.
Frederic posted just 4 goals and 7 points in 74 games last season, going minus-15 for an Oilers team that finished 41-30-11.
A big body who can play soft on certain nights is exactly the kind of profile a demanding coach like Babcock has zero patience for.
Isaac Howard is another name in the conversation, though his path looks different than a straight benching.
Howard posted 5 points in 29 games last season, and the more realistic outcome for him is a trip down to Bakersfield rather than a seat in the press box.
That's not really a doghouse. That's just a numbers game for a 22-year-old who hasn't forced his way into the lineup yet.
Why Savoie's situation is a completely different problem
Matthew Savoie is currently day-to-day and expected to be out until at least October 20, so he won't even get the chance to pick up the system with the rest of the team.
That timeline alone could make it hard for him to find real minutes once he's finally healthy enough to play.
Savoie posted 37 points in 82 games last season, numbers that suggest real offensive upside if Babcock ever gives him a runway to work with.
The tougher truth here is that Babcock built his reputation on holding players accountable, and forwards without a two-way game rarely survive that kind of scrutiny for long.
Frederic carries a $3,850,000 cap hit, a number that usually buys patience in most rooms. Babcock isn't most coaches.
Whether it's Frederic sitting, Howard riding the bus to Bakersfield, or Savoie losing his window before he even gets one, somebody on this roster is going to feel Babcock's demands the hard way early.
Will Trent Frederic be the first Oiler to land in Mike Babcock's doghouse?
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