This Could Get Ugly: NHL Moving Forward With Mike Babcock Investigation
New allegations from Mike Babcock's past threaten to derail his return. The NHLPA is demanding a full investigation into hidden claims before the NHL allows Edmonton to proceed with his hiring.
Video Transcript
Not a lot of options here.
What do you think if this does come to pass, how is this hire gonna work out for Edmonton?
Now, first of all, I'm not one to say that retreads in the NHL never work.
there's a reason that these guys are at the top of their craft that have been doing this for a really long time.
but I think this is just another example.
Like, maybe there's slim pickings on that front of things, but I don't necessarily think there's not another guy out there who can't get the job done.
it is a bit of a risk bringing in, you know, an inexperienced coach for a roster that needs to get over the hump immediately.
So I guess from, you know, a logistical perspective and the perspective of someone like Connor McDavid, who needs to win in Edmonton within the next two years, you want to bring somebody in who has that proven track record.
But I'm kind of in line with Mike here.
I think there are some questionable, things about Babcock's past, obviously, his time in Toronto, his tenure with Columbus.
I'm not sure that that's the right move here, and I think that, that you can pile on as much as you want about that history and everything.
You mentioned the Johan Franzen thing as well.
And then look, I mean, it's, I think it's worth mentioning too, a lot of his success as an NHL head coach, this might seem kind of, you know, unrelated, but I don't think it necessarily is unrelated.
That came before smartphones and before the digital age and before the information age kinda.
And now that, you know, there's issues with him and the phone scandal and just you, you kinda go down the line here, I'm not really sure if his disciplinary tactics will work in the modern NHL, just with, you know, the, the landscape of how that stuff is now.
So I'm, I'm curious to see how this dynamic would work here.
You mentioned Hyman and the connection there.
there's obviously a little bit of history, but I'm not sure that he's the right guy to bring into the current coaching landscape of the National Hockey League, 'cause I just don't think he fits the mold anymore, and I don't think those tactics are gonna fly with a lot of these, players.
