The Edmonton Oilers are consulting the NHLPA to see if there are objections that must be resolved before potentially hiring Mike Babcock, sources told TSN's Darren Dreger.
In September 2023, Babcock resigned as head coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets without serving a single game due to allegations of him invading players' privacy. The NHLPA investigated a claim that Babcock had forced players to show him photos on their phones and then projected them onto a larger screen.
Babcock was also criticized for his treatment of players after being fired by the Toronto Maple Leafs in November 2019. One instance occurred when he asked then-rookie Mitch Marner to rank the team's hardest-working players and then shared the list with the rest of the team. Babcock later admitted that he "absolutely" made mistakes during his Leafs tenure.
The 63-year-old hasn't worked in hockey since his departure from the Blue Jackets. Babcock won the Stanley Cup with the Detroit Red Wings in 2008. He also guided Canada's men's team to Olympic gold in 2010 and 2014 as well as a World Cup title in 2016.
Babcock coached the Anaheim Ducks from 2002-04, the Red Wings from 2005-15, and the Maple Leafs from 2015-19. He last won a playoff series in 2013.
The Oilers fired head coach Kris Knoblauch after losing to the Ducks in the first round. Edmonton had lost in the Stanley Cup Final the previous two years with Knoblauch at the helm.
In May, the Vegas Golden Knights denied Edmonton permission to speak with their former head coach Bruce Cassidy about the Oilers' vacant position.
