The NHL has cleared the Edmonton Oilers to continue pursuing Mike Babcock as a potential head coach, after completing a review of Babcock's Columbus Blue Jackets tenure and related conduct allegations, Pro Hockey Rumors reported.
The decision does not mean Edmonton has hired Babcock. It means the league found no current basis to restrict his employment, removing the immediate process barrier around one of the NHL's most controversial coaching possibilities.
NHL Review Removes Employment Barrier
Pro Hockey Rumors reported that the Oilers had been consulting with the NHLPA about whether objections needed to be resolved before any Babcock hire. TSN's Darren Dreger reported Edmonton's inquiry, while Pierre LeBrun added that the NHL would handle any investigation if one was required.
The league review focused on Babcock's short Blue Jackets tenure and alleged conduct tied to it. Babcock resigned from Columbus in 2023 before coaching a regular-season game after allegations surfaced that he had asked players to share personal photos.
The Columbus exit followed earlier controversies from Babcock's time with the Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs. PHR recounted the Johan Franzen allegations from Detroit and the Mitch Marner work-ethic list incident in Toronto as part of the background to Edmonton's due diligence.
Oilers Still Have To Make The Hire
Edmonton's interest appears serious, but the job has not been formally filled in the verified reporting. LeBrun reported that D.J. Smith would likely join Babcock's staff if the Oilers complete the hire.
Babcock's resume is unusually split between high-end success and abrupt endings. PHR noted his work with Anaheim and Detroit, but also that his tenures in Toronto and Columbus ended poorly and made any return to an NHL bench a sensitive league matter.
Babcock told Dreger in late May that he considered himself retired. Edmonton's process has changed the question from whether the league would block a return to whether the Oilers decide the coaching fit is worth the attention that would come with it.