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Oilers player agents concerned as NHL begins Babcock investigation
Mike Babcock
Photo credit: Kyle Robertson-USA TODAY NETWORK
Michael Menzies
Jun 15, 2026, 16:00 EDTUpdated: Jun 15, 2026, 16:45 EDT
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The NHL will officially begin an investigation into Mike Babcock and whether the league takes issue with the Edmonton Oilers hiring him to be their next coach, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported Monday.
In a Sportsnet article, Friedman says multiple parties will be interviewed during the investigation into the events in Columbus from 2023, which led to his resignation. There is also frustration and reluctance from Blue Jackets players to rehash these events from three years ago, and they “didn’t want to participate,” according to Friedman. 
Whether that will change, or whether they will be forced to, is unclear.
This process begins exactly one week after Darren Dreger’s initial report that the Oilers were asking the NHL Players’ Association if there were issues hiring the 63-year-old, spinning into a heated debate across Oilersnation about whether the hiring is a good idea, or whether Babcock’s old issues should be a non-starter. 
“A few executives and players around the league have indicated Oilers management and players contacted them for feedback on Babcock,” writes Friedman.
“The union, in particular, reacted negatively, and there were multiple conversations where it voiced objection,” Friedman continued. “However, those members of the Oilers leadership group were satisfied by what they’d heard from other players and Babcock directly. They were prepared to move ahead with the hiring, if allowed.” 
Frank Seravalli reported that there were “significant” additional claims beyond the reports that he looked through players’ phones. What those claims are, and whether they hold enough validity to keep Babcock from getting a job, remain to be seen. 

‘Several agents’ voiced concerns

Of note in Friedman’s article is the reaction from agents who represent Edmonton Oilers players who were not part of the talks with Babcock. 
“Several agents of Edmonton players who were not involved in the direct conversations with Babcock also voiced concerns, adding they didn’t like the idea of clients being traded there, either,” writes Friedman. 
“The Oilers appear willing to wait to see the conclusions of this investigation before ruling out Babcock as a contender. Now that the playoffs are over, there is also Vegas’s decision on Cassidy. Will they grant permission for the Oilers, or anyone else, to talk to him?”
Mark Spector tweeted on Friday that pending free agent Connor Murphy, for one, is looking at the coaching situation and the pending Darnell Nurse situation as “factors” on wherever.
NHLPA executive director Marty Walsh was firm in his stance when interviewed before Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final on SiriusXM NHL Radio about how much value McDavid’s leadership may hold during this investigation.
“There’s been some reports that the players have pushed this,” said Walsh. “Listen, it’s the GM, the president, the owner of a team, who hires a coach – not the players. Trying to put that on the players, that’s not the way it should work here.”
Michael Menzies is an Oilersnation columnist and co-host of PreGaming and Oilersnation After Dark. He’s also been the play-by-play voice of the Bonnyville Pontiacs in the AJHL since 2019. With seven years of news experience as the Editor-at-Large of Lakeland Connect in Bonnyville, Menzies collects vinyl, books, and stomach issues. Follow him on X at Menzies_4. 

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