NHL clears – After completing a review of Mike Babcock’s time in Columbus, the NHL said it found no basis to restrict him from working, clearing him to coach the Edmonton Oilers if the team chooses to hire him.
NEW YORK — The NHL finished its review of Mike Babcock’s tenure in Columbus on Thursday, and the league cleared him to coach the Edmonton Oilers if Edmonton decides to hire him.
The process began only after the NHL Players’ Association asked the league to look into Babcock, following growing interest from the Oilers in bringing him in. In a statement, the NHL said even in the least favorable light, there was no basis to restrict Babcock’s employment.
The league’s conclusion leaves one question hanging over Edmonton: whether the Oilers will move to name Babcock coach, and when. Edmonton has been searching for a replacement since it fired Kris Knoblauch after a first-round playoff exit that followed back-to-back trips to the Stanley Cup Final.
A message sent to union representatives was not immediately returned.
Babcock is 63 and has been out of NHL coaching since 2019. when he was fired by Toronto 23 games into his fifth season. The Blue Jackets hired him on July 1. 2023. and he resigned in September after criticism over requests for personal photos from players as a way to get to know them. which drew pushback as an invasion of privacy.
The NHL had dropped a planned investigation at the time when Babcock stepped down. This week, the league’s review restarted after the final ended.
Before his Columbus chapter, Babcock built a long record at the highest level. He coached Detroit to the Stanley Cup in 2008, returned to the final twice more, and guided Canada to Olympic gold medals in 2010 and ’14.
Now. with the league’s finding in hand. the immediate pressure shifts back to Edmonton. a franchise still trying to settle on who will lead it after Knoblauch’s firing—and after a postseason that ended earlier than its recent runs promised. If the Oilers choose to act. they’ll do it with the NHL’s review already behind them. and the next steps arriving quickly from a team that has already learned how thin patience can get once the playoffs end.
Mike Babcock Edmonton Oilers NHL review Columbus Blue Jackets NHL Players' Association Kris Knoblauch Toronto Maple Leafs
So the NHL basically said he’s free to coach? That seems like a joke.
I don’t even know what he did besides the photo thing… but if players didn’t like it why does it not matter? Edmonton is gonna regret it, watch.
Is this about the personal photos? I saw someone say it was like stalking or whatever which… idk. Then again “no basis to restrict” sounds like legalese so they can just keep people working. Oilers already fired the last guy after losing so they might as well roll the dice again.
NHL cleared him = Oilers should hire him right away, that’s what this means, right? Also he got fired from Toronto after like 23 games which is wild, but maybe that’s just because the team was doomed. I don’t trust any of these leagues when it comes to “privacy” stuff, it’s always spin.