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Mike Babcock and the Columbus Blue Jackets will be held to an impossible standard this season – and neither party should be surprised or disappointed by that reality.
On Tuesday [11 September], a firestorm was sparked when Paul Bissonnette accused Babcock of pressuring his players to share their camera rolls and AirPlaying the photos onto his office television.
The Blue Jackets swiftly issued a response, with Babcock calling the version of events presented by Bissonnette “a gross misrepresentation of [his introductory meetings with players] and extremely offensive.”
Columbus captain Boone Jenner defended his new head coach, stating: “[He] asked if I had pictures of my family and I was happy to share some with him. He showed me pictures of his family. I thought it was a great first meeting and a good way for us to start to build a relationship. To have this blown out of proportion is truly disappointing.”
But the story has rumbled on through the week, with murmurs that some young players in Columbus were uncomfortable with Babcock’s line of enquiry, and an investigation into the incident remains ongoing.
Everyone knew that Babcock would be watched closely, which is why general manager Jarmo Kekäläinen is under so much pressure in light of the current controversy, but few expected the wheels would wobble so quickly.
With that in mind, here is a potted history of Babcock’s career and controversies, with a forecast as to what could come next in Columbus.
What is Mike Babcock’s history and why is it so relevant to his time with the Blue Jackets?
Babcock was once the best-paid coach in hockey, with a Stanley Cup championship and two gold medals from the Winter Olympics to his name, but has been out of action – at least professionally – since he was fired by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2019.
Since his dismissal in Toronto, a slew of stories about his coaching methods have been made public, with longtime Detroit Red Wings forward Johan Franzen calling the Canadian “the worst person” he ever met.
Chris Chelios supported his former teammate, saying that Babcock berated Franzen to the point of a nervous breakdown while he occupied the hotseat in Detroit.
In his rookie season, Mitch Marner was asked to privately rank his teammates in order of work rate. Babcock would later share the list with the players his young forward left at the bottom of the pile.
Mike Commodore has also been outspoken in his repulse for Babcock.
“Simply put your players quit on you,” Commodore tweeted after the Leafs fired Babcock. “They quit on you because you are a terrible human being. You are an average coach with an extremely oversized ego. You finally got exactly what you deserve… the hockey world is ecstatic.”
In other words, Babcock was sidelined from the NHL amidst accusations that he treated his players poorly.
Immediately upon his return to the majors, those criticisms have resurfaced, placing his appointment by Blue Jackets GM Kekäläinen under renewed criticism.
What next for Mike Babcock and the Blue Jackets?
The future is now uncertain for Babcock and his role with the Blue Jackets.
On Friday [15 September], the NHL and NHLPA met to discuss how they would move forward with their investigations into Columbus’ besieged head coach.
While all involved parties have been tight-lipped on the process, it is clear that the dial has shifted since the initial exchange between Bissonnette and the Blue Jackets’ communications team.
“NHLPA officials Marty Walsh, Ron Hainsey, and Don Zavelo met with the NHL earlier today regarding the matter involving Babcock. During this meeting, we provided the NHL with an update on our ongoing review,” wrote an NHLPA spokesperson on Friday.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedmann has reported that the NHLPA received “information that some of the younger Blue Jackets were uncomfortable with what had occurred” and that this revelation is now a major focus of the investigation.
If this continues to move sideways for Babcock, who could be out of a job in Columbus before his debut.
