Mike Babcock controversy puts Blue Jackets at a disadvantage
If you bet the over on how long it would take for Mike Babcock to cause a stir in Columbus, you were in for a rude awakening this week. Regardless of whether you believe the latest allegations against the new Columbus Blue Jackets bench boss, you have to figure that this isn't good for the rest of the team ahead of training camp.
"Spitting Chiclets" host Paul Bissonnette shared the story of Babcock inappropriately asking to see photos on players' personal phones, which led to fans and pundits alike taking to social media to slam him for his behavior. Babcock and a couple of Blue Jackets players, including captain Boone Jenner, have since released statements saying the story was misconstrued, but it's fair to assume this incident isn't going to simply fade into the background.
For a team desperate to turn things, this kind of distraction couldn't come at a worse time.
Columbus finished the 2022-23 season with the second-worst record in the entire league as consistent injury woes and difficulty filling in key roles became central to the team's narrative. This is a squad that hasn't been to the playoffs since 2020, so any type of help over this last offseason was going to be crucial. The Jackets had a busy summer with signings and trades and selecting high-profile forward Adam Fantilli with the third overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft. Signing Babcock on July 1 was simply another move to help turn the franchise around and win more games.
The season hasn't started yet, and the Blue Jackets are already at a disadvantage now with the off-ice hoopla to contend with.
The decision to hire Babcock already has been heavily debated. Some believe his long coaching resume earned him the right to keep getting coaching jobs. Many others look at the allegations of bullying with the Detroit Red Wings and humiliation with the Toronto Maple Leafs and don't think he should have any job in hockey. Now, Blue Jackets fans appear to already have had their fill thanks to the soap opera spotlight on their team.
NHL training camps are set to start in roughly a week, and the Blue Jackets will have to answer questions about this latest firestorm surrounding the controversial coach. Now it's just a matter of seeing how they weather that storm, or if they are at risk of being too distracted before the season has even started.
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