Babcock's Past Returns
NHL moves forward with Babcock privacy probe; Oilers' coaching decision waits on findings.
Key Points
Before moving ahead, the NHL initially signaled it would not investigate Babcock until the Oilers made their hiring plan official—i.e., “THEN we’ll tell you whether or not you can hire him,” with the league’s “magnifying glass… finally out” once the commitment was on the table.
TSN reported that Edmonton was consulting with the NHLPA to resolve any objections before proceeding on a potential hire—suggesting the club was trying to pre-clear union concerns rather than wait for the investigation to conclude.
Sportsnet’s Mark Spector said Oilers leadership “grilled” Babcock in a meeting last week about “former transgressions,” and the leadership left GM Stan Bowman with an “implicit instruction”: “This is our guy. We want to be pushed.”
Darren Dreger (TSN) added that there is no set completion timeline because 2023 Blue Jackets personnel must be interviewed, and also that “if Babcock happens to back out at this stage, there would be no reason to investigate further.”
Context on Babcock’s recent NHL track record: TSN’s report said his last NHL game as a coach was in November 2019 with the Toronto Maple Leafs, who fired him after a “scuffling 9-10-4 start” despite him being “just over four years into an eight-year contract.”
The NHL has launched a formal investigation into Mike Babcock's 2023 tenure with the Columbus Blue Jackets, triggered by the Edmonton Oilers' pursuit of the veteran coach as their next bench boss. The NHL Players' Association demanded the probe before any new team could hire Babcock, citing allegations that go beyond the widely reported phone-sharing incident — including what sources describe as "significant" additional misconduct, according to TSN and Sportsnet.
The Oilers fired coach Kris Knoblauch earlier this month and quickly identified Babcock as their top target. Babcock has not coached an NHL game since November 19, 2019, when the Toronto Maple Leafs dismissed him after a 9-10-4 start — just four years into an eight-year, $50 million contract, TSN reported.
NHLPA Forces League to Reopen a Cold Case
When Babcock resigned from Columbus in September 2023, the initial NHLPA review was dropped because he left before coaching a single regular-season game. The league never completed a formal probe. Now, with the Oilers signaling serious interest, the union stepped in. The NHLPA told the NHL it wants a full investigation finished before any hire can be approved, according to The Globe and Mail.
TSN insider Darren Dreger reported there is no set timeline for completion. Investigators must interview members of the 2023 Blue Jackets roster, many of whom are now scattered across the league. Dreger added a key wrinkle: "If Babcock happens to back out at this stage, there would be no reason to investigate further" — meaning the probe lives or dies with Edmonton's commitment, according to TSN.
Oilers Leadership Grilled Babcock — Then Gave the Green Light
Before the investigation was announced, Oilers leadership held a direct meeting with Babcock last week. Sportsnet's Mark Spector reported that team leaders "grilled" Babcock about his "former transgressions." The group came away satisfied. They reportedly told GM Stan Bowman in no uncertain terms: "This is our guy. We want to be pushed," according to Sportsnet.
The Oilers also consulted with the NHLPA directly, trying to pre-clear union objections before making any hiring decision official, TSN reported. That approach — seeking sign-off before committing — suggests the club wanted to avoid a public standoff. It didn't fully work. The union still pushed for a complete investigation rather than an informal resolution.
The Phone Scandal Was Just the Starting Point
The original 2023 allegation centered on Babcock asking Blue Jackets players to display personal photos from their phones — supposedly as a "team-building" exercise. The NHLPA viewed it as an abuse of the power a coach holds over players. But current reports say the union's concerns go further. There are "significant" allegations beyond the phone incident that were never formally investigated, according to TSN and Sportsnet.
This follows a pattern the NHL has seen before. The league faced criticism over the Bill Peters racism scandal and the Joel Quenneville case tied to the Chicago Blackhawks' abuse investigation. In both cases, early warnings were not acted on quickly enough. The NHL now appears to be taking a more formal stance — treating privacy and boundary violations as conduct that can bar a coach from returning, not just personal missteps.
A Catch-22 That Could Stall Edmonton's Coaching Search
The NHL's process has created an unusual bind for the Oilers. The league reportedly said it would not investigate until Edmonton made its hiring intentions official — meaning the team must commit to a candidate who could later be disqualified. Critics called this a "catch-22": commit first, find out if it's allowed second, according to Sportsnet.
With no timeline set and former Blue Jackets players needing to be tracked down for interviews, the Oilers could enter the 2026-27 training camp without a confirmed head coach. Babcock brings career totals of more than 700 NHL wins, a 2008 Stanley Cup, and two Olympic gold medals — numbers Oilers management keeps pointing to. But all of that sits on hold until investigators finish their work and the union decides it has seen enough.
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