The NHL Player’s Association is investigating allegations of an invasion of privacy involving new Columbus Blue Jackets coach Mike Babcock.
On a recent episode of Spittin’ Chiclets, former NHLer Paul Bissonnette claimed that a player told him that Babcock has asked various players to see the pictures on their cell phones.
(Video contains adult language.)
Both Babcock and center Boone Jenner responded to the report and refuted the categorization of their meeting by the podcast.
Babcock was fired by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2019 in the midst of a six-game losing streak. Allegations also surfaced involving a toxic environment surrounding Babcock, which included many of Babcock’s former players, including Johan Franzen, Chris Chelios and Mike Commodore.
Babcock has not coached an NHL game since leaving the Leafs, but did serve as coach of the University of Saskatchewan’s men’s hockey team in 2021-22. He announced his retirement the following summer, but was named Columbus’ coach on July 1, 2023. Babcock has a 700-418-19-184 record in 1,301 games, winning a Stanley Cup with Detroit in 2007-08. He also led Anaheim to the Stanley Cup final in his first year as coach in 2002-03.
Internationally, Babcock, who was named to the Order of Hockey in Canada in 2018, has won gold at the world juniors, World Championship and at the 2010 and 2014 Olympic Winter Games. He last won gold at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, giving him a 100 percent championship rate as Canada’s head coach.
The Blue Jackets finished the 2022–23 regular season with the worst record (25–48–9) in the Eastern Conference. Columbus enters 2023–24 having missed the playoffs in three consecutive seasons, but will be armed with top prospect Adam Fantilli and new offseason additions Ivan Provorov and Damon Severson, among others.
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