Summary:
- Mike Babcock has resigned as the Blue Jackets head coach just weeks before the start of the new season, before even coaching a single game.
- Assistant coach Pascal Vincent will now take over as head coach.
- Babcock's resignation came after controversy surrounding his invasion of players' privacy by asking to see content on their phones.
Mike Babcock has resigned as the Blue Jackets head coach just weeks before the start of the new season, before even coaching a single game. Assistant coach Pascal Vincent will now take over as head coach.
Mike Babcock Resigns as Blue Jackets Head Coach
In breaking news from NBC 4, Mike Babcock has resigned as the Blue Jackets head coach just weeks before the team begins a fresh season. The news comes before he even coached a game. Assistant Pascal Vincent will take over the reins.
Timeline of Blue Jacket's Off-Field Situation
Before discussing the controversial incident that allegedly led to Babcock's resignation, let's take a quick look at the Blue Jackets' off-field timeline.
On April 15th, the club fired Brad Larson after their poor performance last season. Then, on June 30th, the team got lucky when Adam Fantilli landed in their laps as the third overall pick in the draft. The next day, they named Babcock as their new head coach.
Controversies Surrounding Mike Babcock
However, Babcock came with controversies. Former player Paul Bissonette shared a story on his spitting chicklets podcast that Babcock had invaded players' privacy by asking to see content on their phones.
As a result, the NHL Player Association (NHLPA) representatives came to Columbus on Thursday and interviewed players, and the NHL had a meeting scheduled for Friday to address the matter. It was in this meeting that Babcock confirmed his resignation.
Official Statement from Mike Babcock
Babcock released a statement following his resignation, saying, "Upon reflection, it has become clear that continuing as head coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets was going to be too much of a distraction. While I am disappointed to not have had the opportunity to continue the work we've begun, I know it's in the best interest of the organization for me to step away at this time."
Final Thoughts
Babcock's resignation places the Blue Jackets in a difficult situation just weeks before the start of a new season. Only time will tell how the team responds and whether they can overcome this off-field incident to find success on the ice.
Upon reflection, Babcock stated that continuing as head coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets would be too much of a distraction. While he is disappointed, he believes it is in the best interest of the organization for him to step away at this time.