The Edmonton Oilers need a head coach. And the league just made it a lot easier for them to hire the guy they want.
The NHL announced Thursday that its investigation into Mike Babcock has wrapped up, and there’s nothing stopping teams from hiring him. That clears the way for the Oilers, who have had Babcock on their radar since the summer.
“The League has completed its review of Mike Babcock’s tenure in Columbus, and of certain alleged conduct associated therewith,” the NHL said in a statement obtained by Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic. “Our investigation has concluded that, even in a light least favorable to Mr. Babcock, there is no current basis to restrict his employment in the League.”
The investigation stems from Babcock’s brief and bizarre time with the Columbus Blue Jackets. He was hired in July 2023 but resigned before coaching a single regular season game. The reason? Players accused him of demanding they hand over their cell phones so he could scroll through personal photos and messages. The allegations around invading player privacy were serious enough that Babcock stepped down on his own.
That triggered the NHL’s investigation, which apparently took a while but ultimately found no grounds to blacklist him. The league looked at his full Columbus tenure and the allegations tied to it. The statement seems to suggest that even if you take the worst possible interpretation of what happened, there’s still no reason to ban him.
Babcock’s complicated coaching history
This isn’t Babcock’s first controversy. Far from it. He was fired by the Toronto Maple Leafs early in the 2019-20 season after a brutal start. His reputation took hits in Toronto for his coaching style — multiple former players described it as intimidating and overly harsh behind the scenes.
After Toronto, Babcock spent a short time at the University of Vermont before coaching the University of Saskatchewan Huskies in 2021-22. That was his only real gig between the Leafs fallout and the Columbus mess.
What this means for the Oilers
Edmonton has been without a head coach since Jay Woodcroft was fired earlier this season. The Oilers have one of the best players in the world in Connor McDavid and a roster built to win now. Babcock has a Stanley Cup ring from his time with the Anaheim Ducks and took the Detroit Red Wings to multiple deep runs. He knows how to manage star talent — or at least he used to.
The question now is whether Edmonton actually pulls the trigger. Babcock is available. The league says he’s eligible. But signing him means inviting the media scrutiny and the player skepticism that comes with his name. The Oilers haven’t confirmed they’re making a move yet. But they know where the league stands.
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