MAJOR | Mike Babcock resigns as the head in Columbus: The shocking truth revealed
It has been an eventful few days for the Columbus Blue Jackets who are only a few days away from camp.
Head Coach, Mike Babcock, was forced to resign after potential mistreatment of players was brought to light. The Columbus Blue Jackets named Pascal Vincent as their new head coach.
On Sept 12, The Spitting Chiclets podcast hosted by former NHLers, Paul Bissonette and Ryan Whitney, reported that Mike Babcock had meetings with players particularly team captain, Boone Jenner. He asked them to show their phones in an attempt to find out the type of people they are. Bissonette was the first person to receive word of what had happened and brought it to the podcast. The podcast generated a lot of buzz.
The NHLPA began an investigation into the meetings. Forcing the Blue Jackets to defend their coach on the same day, posting on twitter, statements made by both Mike Babcock and Boone Jenner defending their meetings.
Babcock said "While meeting with our players...I asked them to share, off their phones, family pictures as part of...getting to know them better...absolutely nothing more to it."
Babcock also said that the way the Spitting Chiclets podcast portrayed the meetings was "a gross misrepresentation" and "Offensive."
Boone Jenner spoke highly of their meeting saying "I thought it was a great meeting." and said the ordeal was being "blown out of proportion."
Johnny Gaudreau agreed with those sentiments by Jenner. In an interview at NHL Player Media Tour in Las Vegas, Gaudreau spoke about his meeting, saying that he was "comfortable" with the exchange. Gaudreau said "I've never had a coach take a direction like that and get to know me on a personal level like that right off the bat..."
With all of this information, the NHLPA came to the conclusion at the end of the day that they were "satisfied" that there was no issue with the meetings and that Babcock had not done anything wrong.
On the 14th, something had changed the minds of NHLPA. Elliotte Friedman reported that It seemed that multiple young guys had been "uncomfortable" with the meetings.
Today, we may have found out what was the problem. It seems that at least one meeting with a player was away from the team facilities and included several minutes of Babcock looking through their phone.
Frank Seravalli says that NHLPA left no option for Babcock to stay, wanting to send a message that all players must be treated with respect.
With this information, Babcock was forced to resign. Babcock said in a statement that he would be a "distraction" to the organization and that was why he was walking away.
With Babcock's departure, the Columbus Blue Jackets can begin to focus on the upcoming season. The Blue Jackets open up their 2023-24 season October 12th at home against the Flyers.
| POLL | ||
Do you feel that the Blue Jackets management group are at fault for hiring Babcock, despite his past? | ||
| Yes | 333 | 65.6 % |
| Unsure | 95 | 18.7 % |
| No | 80 | 15.7 % |
| List of polls | ||
