One day after Mark Messier said he was "horrified" by the Edmonton Oilers' hiring of Mike Babcock, forward Zach Hyman invited the Hall of Famer to see the team operating under the controversial coach.

"Everybody has their own opinion," said Hyman, who wore No. 11 before arriving in Edmonton, where it is retired in honor of Messier. "I think if he really wants to see what's going on firsthand, he's more than welcome to come here. I think Oilers fans love him. There's a lot of excitement. There's a lot of positivity here. Nothing but good is happening right now."

Messier, who spent 12 seasons with the Oilers and is an analyst for ESPN, critiqued the hiring after the team fired Kris Knoblauch in the spring. Knoblauch had led Edmonton to back-to-back Stanley Cup Final appearances before a first-round playoff exit. Babcock won a Stanley Cup with the Detroit Red Wings and two Olympic gold medals with Canada, but his record has been tarnished by accusations of mental abuse by players during his NHL career.

"I am absolutely shocked they hired him," Messier said. The NHL said in June that there was no current basis to restrict Babcock's employment.