- Mike Babcock said he doesn’t think he crossed a line in Columbus
- He pinned his quick Blue Jackets exit on his wife telling him to walk
- Read below for the quotes and the brutal reactions from around the league
Mike Babcock still doesn’t think he did anything wrong in Columbus.
The new Oilers head coach met the media for the first time on Tuesday, and the questions about his short, scandal-marked Blue Jackets tenure came fast. Babcock’s answer was that he never crossed a line with anyone.
Asked directly whether he believed he had done something wrong before resigning in Columbus three years ago, Babcock didn’t budge.
“To be honest with you, anytime you make anybody feel uncomfortable in your life, you should take a look at yourself, and you should say, how could I do that better,” Babcock said. “The situation in Columbus, they’ve had a full review, and I’m thankful, NHL and NHLPA, for doing that. It didn’t work out for us. We’re excited about making it work here.”
Watch the full press conference:
Babcock also explained why he walked away from the Blue Jackets before coaching a single game. He pointed at his wife.
“It was very evident before the year started. I hadn’t benched anybody, I hadn’t talked to anybody, I hadn’t sat anybody out, and it was evident that we weren’t together as a staff right from the get-go,” Babcock said. “My wife gave me a call, and she said it’s time to get out of there.”
He stepped down in 2023 after reports that he asked Columbus players to hand over their phones so he could scroll through their personal photos. The NHL and NHLPA both looked into it. The league reviewed the case again this spring once the Oilers asked about bringing him back, then cleared him to return.
The reaction online was not kind. Former NHL defenseman Mike Commodore, who has gone after Babcock for years, didn’t hold back:
Sportsnet’s Greg Wyshynski had a similar read after listening to Babcock dodge every question:
Edmonton officially hired Babcock on Tuesday, two years removed from back-to-back trips to the Stanley Cup Final and fresh off a first-round exit. Connor McDavid has two seasons left before free agency. The Oilers are betting that a coach with three Final appearances and zero apologies is the guy to push them over the top.
