Mike Babcock was officially introduced as head coach of the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday, and with that came his first meeting with the media since his strange fallout in Columbus a few years ago.
The veteran bench boss stepped away from his role as Blue Jackets head coach less than three months after taking over and before coaching a single game. Reports at the time suggested it stemmed from behavior that some players viewed as inappropriate or crossing the line, which included looking through their phones among other things.
Babcock, however, was ultimately cleared following the NHL’s investigation into the matter, and during his introductory press conference in Edmonton, he didn’t seem overly bothered by how things unfolded in Columbus.
“Well, I chose to walk away, really straightforward. You know, I appreciate the question.
It was very evident before the year started. I hadn’t benched anybody, I hadn’t talked to anybody, I hadn’t sat anybody out, and it was evident that we weren’t together as a staff right from the get-go.
My wife gave me a call and she said it’s time to get out of there. I had been retired, was pretty good at it, and I got back to being retired,”
The now 63-year-old Babcock was hired by the Blue Jackets on July 1, 2023, and resigned from the position less than three months later in September. He last coached an NHL game during the 2019-20 season with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
While many were hoping for more insight from Babcock regarding his brief stint in Columbus, his response was probably what should have been expected.
His focus now is entirely on helping the Oilers get over the hump and win a Stanley Cup, and it doesn’t appear he’s interested in diving too deep into the past.
That said, there’s no question all eyes around the hockey world will be on how Babcock handles himself in Edmonton from day one.
Next: Aaron Boone Not Happy About Jazz Chisholm Jr. Playing With a Lollipop
