The NHL says it has concluded its investigation into coach Mike Babcock’s conduct during his brief stint with the Columbus Blue Jackets during the summer of 2023.
Its findings? That there’s no reason he can’t return to action in the National Hockey League.
This clears the way for Babcock to potentially sign on to lead the Edmonton Oilers.
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“The League has completed its review of Mike Babcock’s tenure in Columbus, and of certain alleged conduct associated therewith,” the league said in a statement released early Thursday afternoon. “Our investigation has concluded that, even in a light least favorable to Mr. Babcock, there is no current basis to restrict his employment in the League.”
The alleged conduct had to do with claims that Babcock had asked members of the Blue Jackets to show him personal photos on their phones. No investigation was done at the time, because before one could start, Babcock resigned from the team.
Now, with the Edmonton Oilers seemingly circling the Stanley Cup-winning coach, it looks like they’ve got the all-clear from the league to put pen to paper.
If that happens… boy, maybe keep an eye on Edmonton because it’s going to get interesting.
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Is Babcock the guy to get the Oilers over the hump?
It had been previously reported that an NHL investigation would not be conducted if Babcock backed out of a deal with the Oilers, and since one just wrapped, it stands to reason that he’s the guy.
Babcock’s Cup win with Detroit in 2008 is a big selling point for him, but he was never able to win a playoff series during his time in Toronto. There, he had time to develop some superstar young players like Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and William Nylander.
But in Edmonton, they will have to be successful in year one by either winning the Cup or coming very close. That’s because the team needs to show captain Connor McDavid that they can win now, or he might skip town.
Bringing in Babcock seems like a bit of a Hail Mary to find some success, but he still doesn’t solve the team’s issues with depth and goaltending.
In the early going especially, he’s likely going to face some intense media scrutiny, and that’s not something that’s going to be great for the team.
Personally, I think the better option would’ve been Bruce Cassidy, but we all know now that Vegas blocked them from interviewing him (which is kind of bush league, but I also kind of respect the gamesmanship). They could’ve also looked for a somewhat off-the-board choice, which is what Toronto and Vegas just did with Jim Hiller and Ryan Craig, respectively.
Nope. They seem to be taking a big swing, and only time will tell if it’ll lead to a Cup or if they’ll completely whiff.
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