The NHL Players’ Association is continuing its review of interactions involving Columbus Blue Jackets head coach Mike Babcock following revelations earlier this week that he asked players to show him photos in their phone.
Former player-turned-analyst Paul Bissonnette reported on his podcast Tuesday that Babcock asked captain Boone Jenner to show him photos on his phone in an apparent invasion of players’ privacy. Babcock, Jenner and winger Johnny Gaudreau said photo exchanges took place, but defended them as a way for the new coach to get to know his players better.
The union launched a review, however, as new executive director Marty Walsh met with Blue Jackets players in Columbus on Thursday. On Friday, Walsh, his assistant Ron Hainsey and general counsel Don Zavelo met with NHL officials at the league’s New York office to give them an update.
The NHLPA indicated that it would make no further comment. An NHL spokesperson said the league had no comment on the situation.
Babcock’s conduct is under scrutiny due to past reports of some old-school polarizing coaching techniques, including having player Mitch Marner make a list of his teammates ranked by hardest worker at least fierce. This situation and other criticism directed at Babcock led to his firing by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2019.
It has since been the Stanley Cup-winning coach’s first NHL job in 2008. After accepting the job in Columbus in July, Babcock said he has grown as a coach and he had learned to work better with the players.
Gaudreau, the Blue Jackets’ star and highest-paid player, recently claimed he had great interactions with Babcock, including sharing family photos.
“I think the approach he took was to get to know himself on a personal level,” Gaudreau noted. He was able to see photos of my daughter, my dog, my mother, my father, photos of me playing softball in the summer, a photo of my late grandmother who died two months ago. I just think it was a really “cool” and unique way to get to know your player. »
