- Elliotte Friedman says some Columbus players are frustrated the Babcock case resurfaced three years later
- The NHL opened its probe into Babcock’s 2023 Blue Jackets resignation once the Cup Final ended
- Read below for what the investigation means for Edmonton’s plan to hire him
The NHL’s investigation into Mike Babcock is shaping up to be a tough one, because some of the people who lived through it have no interest in going back.
Elliotte Friedman talked about the holdup on the 32 Thoughts podcast. He said the message from a few players on that 2023 Blue Jackets team was simple: it happened three years ago, and they have moved on.
Those guys feel like whatever got started back then should have been finished back then, and they are not thrilled it is being dragged out again now.
Carolina’s win over Vegas last week cleared the runway. The league had been holding the file until the Cup Final wrapped, and now it is digging into why Babcock resigned in Columbus before he ever coached a regular-season game.
Investigators will talk to several parties, and Friedman said the league wants a quick ruling instead of letting this linger.
Babcock lasted about two and a half months with the Blue Jackets in the summer of 2023. He stepped down before training camp amid allegations he asked players to show him personal photos on their phones.
Frank Seravalli reported the phone stuff was not what actually ended his run. Something else surfaced that has never been made public.
Edmonton wants to hire him, and that is why every detail here matters.
The Oilers brought Babcock in to meet ownership and a small group of players in Toronto, and he was a finalist alongside Peter Laviolette, who took the Kings job instead.
Players and the union pushed for this review before anyone made a move, a fight we covered here. NHLPA boss Marty Walsh has pushed back on the idea that players are running the show, saying the call on a coach falls on the GM, the president, and ownership.
Until the league rules, Edmonton cannot make the hire, and Friedman expects an answer soon.
