The Mike Babcock review just got more serious for Edmonton
Photo credit: The Columbus Dispatch-USA TODAY NETWORK
The Edmonton Oilers fired Kris Knoblauch on May 14. They still don't have a replacement, and the situation just got more complicated.
NHLPA Executive Director Marty Walsh confirmed on SiriusXM NHL that the league's investigation into Mike Babcock is active, with no decision and no timeline set.
Walsh noted that managers and owners make coaching hires, not players, but that statement didn't simplify anything for Edmonton.
"Managers and owners hire head coaches, not the players."
- Marty Walsh
- Marty Walsh
If anything, it signaled the union holds standing in this process. And the investigation underneath Walsh's words carries more weight than a routine procedural hold.
Seravalli's report changes what this investigation actually is
Frank Seravalli reported that the NHLPA received significant additional claims about Babcock's time with the Columbus Blue Jackets - claims entirely separate from the photo incident that became the public story in 2023.
That distinction matters enormously. Seravalli specifically noted the photo controversy was not what cost Babcock his Columbus job - a subsequent allegation, still undisclosed, was what actually forced his resignation.
When Babcock stepped down in September 2023, the NHL dropped its formal investigation, and the union's review ended without formal consequence.
Edmonton's pursuit effectively reopened that file, and now there appears to be more inside it than anyone publicly knew.
The Oilers are running out of offseason runway
The Edmonton Oilers built their roster around Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl to compete right now.
Every week without a head coach is a week of lost structure entering the summer.
Pierre LeBrun reported at TSN that the NHL is moving ahead with the investigation, but that process has no timeline attached to it.
Stan Bowman opened this file with Babcock as the target. He may not be able to close it on his preferred terms.
This review may not end with a clearance - it may end with a conclusion Edmonton never prepared for.
For a franchise that needed answers in May, this is the hardest version of June possible.
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