Oilers working to hire Mike Babcock as coach, officially cleared by NHL

[Oleksiak]

How do you think it will be with Babs and Bouch?

Bouchard's going to enjoy some quality time in the press box.

 

[JianYang]

If Babcock failed, the speculation was that the oilers were going to offer iron Mike Keenan the job.

 

[Miami Wice]

It absolutely does deserve firing. There's a reason Columbus and Babcock "parted ways", the GM admitted hiring him was a mistake and he apologized to his players for hiring him.

The coach is essentially the players boss. You can't have them snooping through players phones, it's an absurd breech of privacy.

He was not snooping on players phones, he was asking them to unlock in front of him and then look through photos together. That is not snooping. Player could easily say they have private stuff that they do not want to share with coach.

Young players get asked similar uncomfortable things during draft combine interviews too.

Babcock and Bluejackets parted ways because it seem like after that incident, the senior players on Bluejackets let management know they don't want Babcock and revolted. This was after all the slanted reporting about Marner incident.

But to make it seem like Babcock is evil cruel guy that does not deserve to coach is a bit too much.

 

[jcs0218]

Don't forget Winnik and Marner, they're part of the conspiracy to take down Babcock too.

I am aware of the Marner situation. Not the best, but also not some kind of super evil tactic. He was trying to get Marner to identify positive role models on the team from a work-ethic standpoint. I do agree he could have went about it a bit more tactfully.

As for Winnik? I read his quotes and they are very vague and don't really say much other than "I think Babcock is a bully". He was asked why he thinks that way, and he goes off on some tangent about how he got injured and then when he came back Babcock was pushing him in practice.

I don't really understand the point Winnik is trying to make, and after reading his quotes I didn't come away with a clear understanding of why/how Babcock was a bully.

 

[Beau Knows]

He was not snooping on players phones, he was asking them to unlock in front of him and then look through photos together. That is not snooping. Player could easily say they have private stuff that they do not want to share with coach.

“Our players deserve to be treated with respect in the workplace," Walsh said. "Unfortunately, that was not the case in Columbus. The club's decision to move forward with a new head coach is the appropriate course of action."

A source told the Dispatch that one of the biggest things that changed the team's thinking was a player telling the NHLPA that Babcock held his phone "for an uncomfortable length of time," during a meeting in Columbus held somewhere other than Nationwide Arena. The player said Babcock looked through photos for "several minutes" and there was concern the coach would search his text messages.

Attempts to reach Babcock were unsuccessful.

A similar report on Sportsnet, citing "multiple" sources, nearly mirrors what the Dispatch was told. It said the alleged incident was "beyond the scope of what was initially understood to have occurred," which changed the team's stance.

https://www.columbusmonthly.com/sto...s-as-columbus-blue-jackets-coach/70876230007/

Babcock and Bluejackets parted ways because it seem like after that incident, the senior players on Bluejackets let management know they don't want Babcock and revolted. This was after all the slanted reporting about Marner incident.

If he was as gracious as you claim to the players about the whole phone fiasco they wouldn't revolted and needed to be apologized to on behalf of managment. It's clear that what happened was unacceptable.

But to make it seem like Babcock is evil cruel guy that does not deserve to coach is a bit too much.

That appears to be exactly who he is.

 

[Chaels Arms]

Even stripping away the fact he sucks as a human being, his coaching tenure isn't all it's cracked up to be. Only winning one Cup with the Red Wings squads he had actually is pretty underwhelming in hindsight.

He did nothing in Toronto. He didn't make it out of training camp in Columbus.

The NHLPA statement means, essentially, "this guy sucks but the league doesn't think there's anything that can be done legally to keep him out so, to whichever team hires him, we'll be watching to make sure he behaves."

Even if you sign this guy what exactly are you getting? You're not even going to get supposed tough-guy, mind games motivator Babcock, you're probably just going to get some watered down version of him that's still a fundamentally bad human being but also sucks as a hockey coach.

All this while you have the enhanced, less-controversial and actually pretty decent guy version of Babcock in John Tortorella sitting around looking for work. But Torts might actually force McDavid out of his comfort zone occasionally so I guess that automatically disqualifies him in Oilers land.

 

[danny90]

No-the phone incident seem like Babcock being out of touch boomer trying to be personable and maybe thinking players only keep family pics or pet photos like many older people do. He fail at trying to personally connect with players in Columbus.

Players are right to refuse to give share phone with Babcock, but the problem is players/peoples making this out to be some malicious, evil action by Babcock that deserve firing.

That is the main thing- that based on public information and reporting- Babcock actions do not seem like they are reprehensible behaviour but some posters seem to think they are.

Based on public information and reporting he's a controlling, manipulating bully who will engage in psychological abuse to gain an upper hand against his players.

His lengthy absence from the league and his "resignation" in 2023 are proof of that.

 

[Miami Wice]

https://www.columbusmonthly.com/sto...s-as-columbus-blue-jackets-coach/70876230007/



If he was as gracious as you claim to the players about the whole phone fiasco they wouldn't revolted and needed to be apologized to on behalf of managment. It's clear that what happened was unacceptable.



That appears to be exactly who he is.

Asking for phone was not right thing, but Columbus is easygoing NHL destination. It is part of why Gaudreau (RIP) went there after Calgary because no pressure and country club atmosphere.

Bluejackets players took this opportunity to remove coach who really pushes the players and has 1 Cup win plus international wins because they want easier coach.

Like in school, students hate the teacher who pushes them for academic success and like the easygoing teacher.

This incident was blown out of proportion unless we get more information about what was reported beyond the initial scope.

 

[Miami Wice]

Based on public information and reporting he's a controlling, manipulating bully who will engage in psychological abuse to gain an upper hand against his players.

His lengthy absence from the league and his "resignation" in 2023 are proof of that.

Babcock is guy who pushes players to be up to the challenge mentally and with mindset too.

Like with Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, so many fans use incidents of them being mean to teammates as proof that they are terrible people.

But with these competitive winners, you either rise to meet their challenge or you show that you do not have the mental fortitude to be a champion on their team.

This is professional sports- as player you sometimes have to go through trial by fire to show that you are capable of being more than just a passenger on the team and can go beyond your limits.

 

[NeverForget06]

Bouchard's going to enjoy some quality time in the press box.

If that totally doesn’t happen will you delete your account ?

 

[Senor Catface]

I don't think Babcock will appreciate McDiver's refusal to backcheck or the numerous tantrums. I'm not sure he'll be receptive to a coach telling him that he needs to start acting like a man instead of a gutless coward.

Speaking of dramatic babies, let's talk about your posts.

 

[Daniel Sedin]

very entertaining news, i wonder how he will treat the media who publicly rallied against him

 

[Oddbob]

I have read about Franzen. And it seems that only Franzen and Chelios (who wasn't even with the team at the time of Franzen's alleged abuse) have corroborated the alleged abuse. Chelios talks about things he saw happen on the bench when he had already been retired for a few years so how could have he seen things happen on the bench? Chelios is a known Babcock hater and it is all because Babcock benched him for a Winter Classic. Based on everything I have wrote her, I can't conclude with certainty that anything actually happened or whether things got twisted.

As for Steve and Brendan? If Babcock's abuse was as severe and horrific as people claim, then word would have gotten to them. The league isn't exactly a big world. Words travels around the league fast. Yet, they both kept hiring Babcock.

Wow. You need more than 10+ players talking about how bad someone is to believe it? Plenty more have made comments.

No other coach gets this vitriol from players, none. But we should trust your take over actual players and other personnel on the teams he coached. I don't even need Commodore a known Babcock hater for this, there is way more evidence that he is not a good person.

 

[mattihp]

Babcock is guy who pushes players to be up to the challenge mentally and with mindset too.

Like with Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, so many fans use incidents of them being mean to teammates as proof that they are terrible people.

But with these competitive winners, you either rise to meet their challenge or you show that you do not have the mental fortitude to be a champion on their team.

This is professional sports- as player you sometimes have to go through trial by fire to show that you are capable of being more than just a passenger on the team and can go beyond your limits.

Didn't Bryant do something else outside of the sport that kinda showed who he was?

 

[lawrence]

He’s so bad Frankie corrado indirectly said he rather play for tortz than babs.

 

[wunderpanda]

john chayka isn't john chayka

 

[apadilla]

Maybe the most pivotal Summer in the history of the franchise and they start it off by hiring the most toxic coach possible.

This had better work.

Definitely pivotal. But the most pivotal one has to be the summer of ‘88 when they traded the Great One.