Major update on the Mike Babcock investigation from NHL insider Elliotte Friedman

With the Stanley Cup Final now in the rearview mirror after Carolina's championship victory over Vegas, the NHL is wasting no time turning its attention to one of the most polarizing storylines of the offseason. The league has officially launched an investigation into Mike Babcock's 2023 resignation from the Columbus Blue Jackets, a move that will determine whether the Edmonton Oilers can move forward with their plans to potentially hire him as their next head coach.

According to reporter Elliotte Friedman, the investigation will involve interviews with multiple parties connected to the events that unfolded in Columbus three years ago. The central question is straightforward but loaded with implications: will Babcock face any additional league discipline, or will Edmonton be cleared to bring him behind the bench?

How the Oilers landed on Babcock

Edmonton's coaching search has been guided by a specific set of criteria. The organization wanted someone with significant experience, a track record of winning, and the kind of personality that wouldn't shy away from holding the team's star players accountable. After being denied permission to speak with Bruce Cassidy, the Oilers decided to add Babcock to their list of candidates.

Babcock reportedly met with both ownership and the front office before sitting down face to face with a small group of Oilers players in Toronto. He was one of two finalists who got that opportunity, with Peter Laviolette being the other candidate before he was ultimately hired by the Los Angeles Kings. Multiple sources indicate that Oilers management and players reached out to executives and players around the league to gather opinions on Babcock before moving forward.

Once the organization grew serious about the possibility, both the team and the players involved reached out to the league and the NHLPA respectively to check for any roadblocks. The players' association responded with clear opposition, engaging in several conversations where it raised objections. Despite that pushback, members of Edmonton's leadership group reportedly felt reassured by what they heard directly from Babcock and from other players who had worked with him. They were ready to proceed with the hire if the league gave the green light.

Babcock's tenure in Columbus lasted barely two and a half months. He was brought on as head coach in the summer of 2023 but resigned before training camp even began, amid allegations that he had violated players' privacy by asking to look through personal photos on their cellphones. Both the NHL and NHLPA had opened investigations at the time, but those inquiries were dropped once Babcock stepped down. Reports have since suggested there were additional concerns beyond the phone incident, including at least one other conversation that raised red flags, though the specifics remain unclear.

The Columbus situation was not the first time Babcock faced accusations of mistreating players. During his time coaching the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2016-17 season, he reportedly pressured a rookie Mitch Marner into ranking teammates by their competitiveness, then shared that list with other players on the roster. Allegations of abusive behavior also surfaced from his years with the Detroit Red Wings, particularly involving forward Johan Franzen.

Pushback from agents and the NHLPA

One of the more revealing details to emerge from reporting on this story is the level of concern coming from player agents. Several agents representing current Oilers players who were not part of the direct discussions with Babcock have spoken up, expressing discomfort with the potential hire. Some went so far as to say they would not want their clients traded to Edmonton if Babcock were coaching there, a sentiment that could have significant roster implications for a team trying to build a contender.

NHLPA executive director Marty Walsh also weighed in publicly before Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final, pushing back against the narrative that players were driving this decision. Walsh made it clear that hiring a coach is the responsibility of the general manager, the president, and the ownership group, not the players. He expressed frustration with attempts to frame the situation as player-led.

Meanwhile, there are practical complications with the investigation itself. Some Blue Jackets players and staff members from 2023 have reportedly indicated they have no interest in revisiting those events and initially declined to participate. Whether the league can compel their involvement or whether those individuals will eventually agree to cooperate remains to be seen.

The Oilers appear content to wait for the investigation's conclusions before making a final decision on Babcock. In the meantime, the coaching landscape could shift. With the playoffs over, the question of whether Vegas will grant permission for other teams to interview Cassidy becomes relevant once again. As of now, the only other head coaching vacancy in the league is in Toronto, adding another layer of urgency to Edmonton's timeline. Pending free agent Connor Murphy has reportedly been monitoring the coaching situation in Edmonton as a factor in his own decision-making, suggesting the ripple effects of this saga extend well beyond the Oilers' front office.