The NHL is beginning a private investigation into Mike Babcock's September 2023 resignation as coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets, ESPN and The Associated Press reported Monday, a review tied directly to the Edmonton Oilers' interest in hiring him.
A person with knowledge of the situation told the AP that the investigation is being handled privately. ESPN/AP also reported that all NHL coaching hires are subject to league approval, making the review more than a historical housekeeping item.
NHL Review Follows Oilers Interest
The NHL Players' Association requested the investigation last week after word emerged that the Oilers were interested in Babcock. The league waited until after the Stanley Cup Final ended before beginning the review, according to ESPN/AP.
ESPN reported June 10 that the NHLPA expected a full league investigation of Babcock's brief Columbus tenure before Edmonton could hire him. Two days earlier, ESPN reported the Oilers were closing in on a deal with Babcock while seeking a replacement for Kris Knoblauch.
The Edmonton angle is why the old Columbus case is back in the league's active business. Babcock would need approval to return behind an NHL bench, and the NHLPA has pushed for the 2023 matter to be reviewed before that happens.
Babcock's Columbus Tenure Lasted Less Than Three Months
Babcock resigned from the Blue Jackets less than three months after taking the job and before coaching a regular-season game for Columbus. ESPN/AP reported the controversy centered on Babcock's requests for personal photos from players, which drew criticism as an invasion of privacy.
The union reviewed the situation at the time, but ESPN/AP reported the NHL dropped its planned investigation when Babcock stepped down. ESPN's related reporting said the NHLPA shared its findings with the league, which then shared them with Blue Jackets management.
Babcock, who turned 63 on April 29, has not coached an NHL game since Toronto fired him 23 games into the 2019-20 season. He coached the Detroit Red Wings to the Stanley Cup in 2008, reached the final with Detroit in 2009 and Anaheim in 2003, and helped Canada win Olympic gold medals in 2010 and 2014.
His coaching record is also attached to a long list of player-treatment questions. ESPN/AP noted that former players have criticized Babcock's methods, including an episode from Toronto in which a player-ranking exercise became public inside the team.
The Oilers' search has already been complicated. ESPN/AP reported Edmonton is looking for a replacement for Knoblauch and previously sought permission to speak with Bruce Cassidy, but Vegas rejected that request because Cassidy remains under contract through next season.
For now, the practical point is narrow: Babcock's path back to an NHL bench runs through a league review of the Columbus resignation that was left unfinished when he stepped down in 2023.