There is no guarantee Mike Babcock will be the next head coach of the Edmonton Oilers, with insiders on Tuesday night describing the path forward from the NHLPA and NHL.

According to The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun and Chris Johnston, the NHL Players Association told the Oilers they want a full investigation into the events three years ago with Mike Babcock and Columbus Blue Jackets players before hiring takes place.

Some players, believed to be the younger ones on the team, were uncomfortable with Babcock requesting their phones, or taking their phones, during get-to-know-you meetings.

The NHL would then do that investigation. But the article also states that the NHL is waiting to hear from the Oilers about what they want to do.

“Which is to say, the NHL will only go ahead with the investigation if the Oilers tell the league they absolutely want to go ahead and hire Babcock,” the article says. “So that decision by the Oilers remains.

“There would have been an investigation had Babcock stayed on as coach in Columbus, but he chose to resign instead. And the investigation never happened.”

On Monday, Oilers Now host Bob Stauffer said, “100 per cent Mike Babcock is the Edmonton Oilers’ guy.” That comes after meetings with owner Daryl Katz and the Oilers leadership group and management.

Darren Dreger, who originally broke the story on Monday, got the ball rolling again on Tuesday night, saying the NHLPA is requesting the league investigate. Then The Athletic story was published moments later.

Frank Seravalli chipped in and said that sources indicate the NHLPA has specifically requested that the NHL delay Mike Babcock’s hiring by the Edmonton Oilers until a formal investigation can be completed.

The Columbus incidents originally came out on a Spittin Chiclets episode and led to Babcock’s eventual resignation just 78 days after he was hired by the Blue Jackets.

Babcock is a controversial choice who has just been on an NHL bench since November 2019. Although he’s won 700 NHL games, a Stanley Cup, two Olympic gold medals, a World Junior gold, World Championship gold, and a CIAU championship, his career has been riddled with examples of head games, mental manipulation, and verbally degrading players and support staff.

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