The Oilers are consulting with the NHL Players’ Association to see if they can potentially hire Mike Babcock as head coach without objection, according to TSN’s Darren Dreger.
The Oilers fired Kris Knoblauch in May after being eliminated by Anaheim in the first round of the playoffs.
The rumblings come after the 63-year-old Babcock resigned as bench boss of the Blue Jackets in 2023 before coaching a single game for them due to allegations of invading players’ privacy, asking them to share photos from their mobile devices.
The NHLPA investigated the situation before the Stanley Cup-winning coach resigned.
Then-Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen called the hiring of Babcock “a mistake” in a statement following the coach’s resignation. Columbus captain Boone Jenner came forward then, saying the images Babcock asked for were of his family for relationship-building, and he was “happy to share.”
There have been other instances where Babcock was accused of mistreating players and staff. Several of his former players have come forward, sharing their experiences of being embarrassed or otherwise mistreated by Babcock.
One of the more high-profile incidents was in Toronto in the 2016-17 season, when then-rookie Mitch Marner was told to rank his teammates based on work ethic, a list that Babcock then shared with the rest of the team. Marner’s teammates had his back and directed their anger at the “list incident” toward Babcock.
In the past, Babcock was viewed as one of the top coaches in the league. He led the Ducks to their first Stanley Cup Final appearance in 2003.
He won the Cup with the Red Wings in 2008 and did not miss the playoffs in his 10-year run with Detroit. He signed an eight-year deal to be the head coach in Toronto before the 2015-16 season, and was fired in late 2019. He led Team Canada to two Olympic gold medals in 2010 and ’14.
Last month, Babcock shut down rumors about his return to coaching. Dreger asked Babcock directly about the rumors circulating around him and the Oilers, and Babcock said, “Dregs, I’m retired. Loving it.”
It remains to be seen whether the Oilers will be able to move forward with Babcock. Further investigation might be required, according to Dreger, before Babcock can make his return to coaching in the NHL.
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
