Babcock resigns as Columbus coach amid inquiry
-
Ryan S. Clark, NHL reporter
Mike Babcock’s brief tenure with the Columbus Blue Jackets is over before he even coached a single game for the club.
The Blue Jackets announced Sunday that Babcock resigned and that associate coach Pascal Vincent will serve as head coach.
“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,” Babcock said in a statement released by the team. “While I’m 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. I wish everyone in the organization well in the upcoming season.”
Babcock’s resignation comes in the wake of allegations surfacing over the past week that he violated players’ privacy when he asked to see photos on their cellphones. The assertions were first presented when former NHL player Paul Bissonnette said on Tuesday’s edition of the “Spittin’ Chiclets” podcast that Babcock had asked Blue Jackets captain Boone Jenner to show him his camera roll before displaying those photos via AirPlay on a wall in the coach’s office.
“Enough with putting guys on the spot in the coaches’ room asking them to link their phones up to AirPlay mode and grilling them,” Bissonette said after the episode was released. “I’ve had tons of players confirm it.”
Babcock and Jenner both released statements through the Blue Jackets on the same day of the podcast that denied the photo request was anything nefarious. Babcock said that while meeting with players and staff he asked them to share family photos from their phones as part of getting to know them better, and he asserted that what was portrayed on the podcast was “a gross misrepresentation of those meetings and extremely offensive.”
Jenner said Babcock asked him about his family, where he was from, his upcoming wedding and hockey-related items. Jenner said the coach asked whether he had any photos of his family and that he was “happy to share some with him.” Babcock also shared photos of his family with Jenner, the captain said.
“I thought it was a great first meeting and a good way for us to start to build a relationship,” Jenner said in the statement. “To have this blown out of proportion is truly disappointing.”
Blue Jackets All-Star forward Johnny Gaudreau confirmed to ESPN last week that he had shown Babcock photos on his phone per the coach’s request. Gaudreau said he had “a great meeting” with Babcock.
“We got to share things together, pictures of our family,” Gaudreau said. “I was a little upset to see the way it was handled and how it came out … but nothing you can do about it. We got off to a great start, had a great meeting with him and looking forward to working together.”
Former NHL defenseman Mike Commodore, who previously played for Babcock and has been critical of the coach, said he heard that similar behavior occurred when Babcock was the coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Commodore said in a video posted to X, formerly Twitter, that he heard “it happened with a few other players in Columbus, too” and that “I don’t want to use any names, but in particular [it involved] a young, very highly touted prospect.”
Sources told ESPN that two NHLPA executives met with Blue Jackets players Thursday to investigate the claims that Babcock had violated their privacy. The Blue Jackets welcomed the NHLPA investigation to determine whether there was any wrongdoing by Babcock, a source also told ESPN.
“Our players deserve to be treated with respect in the workplace,” NHLPA executive director Marty Walsh said. “Unfortunately, that was not the case in Columbus. The club’s decision to move forward with a new head coach is the appropriate course of action.”
Sportsnet had reported that the NHL and NHLPA planned to discuss the allegations and the next potential steps of the investigation at a meeting previously scheduled for Friday.
The NHLPA’s investigation revealed that some players didn’t feel totally comfortable with Babcock, sources told ESPN, and younger players in particular spoke out on negative experiences. There was at least one reported incident of Babcock looking at a personal device for what seemed like too long.
“Just awkward interactions,” a source briefed on the findings told ESPN.
“[Babcock] may be trying to change, but you can’t force it,” a player’s agent told ESPN. “His communication style wasn’t going to work for the younger generation.”
The move by Babcock comes less than three months after he was hired by the club in July. Babcock, who has also coached the team then known as the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim and the Detroit Red Wings, also saw his conduct with players come into question when he was in charge of the Leafs.
Babcock, who coached the Leafs from 2015 to 2019, requested a private meeting with Mitchell Marner in which he asked the forward to rank his teammates’ work ethic and then revealed those rankings to the team. Another former player, Johan Franzen, accused Babcock of being verbally abusive when Franzen played with the Red Wings.
Babcock, who is 60 and had last coached in the NHL in 2019, was slated to be the head coach of the University of Saskatchewan men’s program for two seasons starting in May 2021, only to step down months later.
His replacement in Columbus, Vincent, was a Winnipeg Jets assistant coach for five seasons before he became head coach of the Jets’ AHL affiliate. Vincent coached the Manitoba Moose for five seasons before he was hired by the Blue Jackets prior to the start of the 2021-22 season to serve as associate coach.
“This was a difficult decision on everyone’s part, but one we felt necessary to ensure our focus remains on the players and the team’s upcoming season,” Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen said in a statement. “On behalf of the entire Blue Jackets organization, we want to thank Mike for his hard work and professionalism he has shown in working together on a plan to step down.”
Information from ESPN national NHL reporter Emily Kaplan and the Associated Press was used in this report.
The 2025 MLB All-Star Home Run Derby is fast approaching — and the field is set.
Braves hometown hero Ronald Acuna Jr. became the first player to commit to the event, which will be held at Truist Park in Atlanta on July 14 (8 p.m. ET on ESPN). He was followed by MLB home run leader Cal Raleigh of the Seattle Mariners, James Wood of the Washington Nationals, Byron Buxton of the Minnesota Twins, Oneil Cruz of the Pittsburgh Pirates, Junior Caminero of the Tampa Bay Rays, Brent Rooker of the Athletics and Jazz Chisholm Jr. of the New York Yankees.
On Friday, however, Acuna was replaced by teammate Matt Olson.
With all the entrants announced, let’s break down their chances at taking home this year’s Derby prize.
Full All-Star Game coverage: How to watch, schedule, rosters, more
2025 home runs: 17 | Longest: 434 feet
Why he could win: Olson is a late replacement for Acuna as the home team’s representative at this year’s Derby. Apart from being the Braves’ first baseman, however, Olson also was born in Atlanta and grew up a Braves fan, giving him some extra motivation. The left-handed slugger led the majors in home runs in 2023 — his 54 round-trippers that season also set a franchise record — and he remains among the best in the game when it comes to exit velo and hard-hit rate.
Why he might not: The home-field advantage can also be a detriment if a player gets too hyped up in the first round. See Julio Rodriguez in Seattle in 2023, when he had a monster first round, with 41 home runs, but then tired out in the second round.
2025 home runs: 36 | Longest: 440 feet
Why he could win: It’s the season of Cal! The Mariners’ catcher is having one of the greatest slugging first halves in MLB history, as he’s been crushing mistakes all season . His easy raw power might be tailor-made for the Derby — he ranks in the 87th percentile in average exit velocity and delivers the ball, on average, at the optimal home run launch angle of 23 degrees. His calm demeanor might also be perfect for the contest as he won’t get too amped up.
Why he might not: He’s a catcher — and one who has carried a heavy workload, playing in all but one game this season. This contest is as much about stamina as anything, and whether Raleigh can carry his power through three rounds would be a concern. No catcher has ever won the Derby, with only Ivan Rodriguez back in 2005 even reaching the finals.
2025 home runs: 24 | Longest: 451 feet
Why he could win: He’s big, he’s strong, he’s young, he’s awesome, he might or might not be able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. This is the perfect opportunity for Wood to show his talent on the national stage, and he wouldn’t be the first young player to star in the Derby. He ranks in the 97th percentile in average exit velocity and 99th percentile in hard-hit rate, so he can still muscle the ball out in BP even if he slightly mishits it. His long arms might be viewed as a detriment, but remember the similarly tall Aaron Judge won in 2017.
Why he might not: His natural swing isn’t a pure uppercut — he has a pretty low average launch angle of just 6.2 degrees — so we’ll see how that plays in a rapid-fire session. In real games, his power is primarily to the opposite field, but in a Home Run Derby you can get more cheapies pulling the ball down the line.
2025 home runs: 20 | Longest: 479 feet
Why he could win: Buxton’s raw power remains as impressive as nearly any hitter in the game. He crushed a 479-foot home run earlier this season and has four others of at least 425 feet. Indeed, his “no doubter” percentage — home runs that would be out of all 30 parks based on distance — is 75%, the highest in the majors among players with more than a dozen home runs. His bat speed ranks in the 89th percentile. In other words, two tools that could translate to a BP lightning show.
Why he might not: Buxton is 31 and the Home Run Derby feels a little more like a younger man’s competition. Teoscar Hernandez did win last year at age 31, but before that, the last winner older than 29 was David Ortiz in 2010, and that was under much different rules than are used now.
2025 home runs: 16 | Longest: 463 feet
Why he could win: If you drew up a short list of players everyone wants to see in the Home Run Derby, Cruz would be near the top. He has the hardest-hit ball of the 2025 season, and the hardest ever tracked by Statcast, a 432-foot missile of a home run with an exit velocity of 122.9 mph. He also crushed a 463-foot home run in Anaheim that soared way beyond the trees in center field. With his elite bat speed — 100th percentile — Cruz has the ability to awe the crowd with a potentially all-time performance.
Why he might not: Like all first-time contestants, can he stay within himself and not get too caught up in the moment? He has a long swing, which will result in some huge blasts, but might not be the most efficient for a contest like this one, where the more swings a hitter can get in before the clock expires, the better.
2025 home runs: 23 | Longest: 425 feet
Why he could win: Although Caminero was one of the most hyped prospects entering 2024, everyone kind of forgot about him heading into this season since he didn’t immediately rip apart the majors as a rookie. In his first full season, however, he has showed off his big-time raw power — giving him a chance to become just the third player to reach 40 home runs in his age-21 season. He has perhaps the quickest bat in the majors, ranking in the 100th percentile in bat speed, and his top exit velocity ranks in the top 15. That could translate to a barrage of home runs.
Why he might not: In game action, Caminero does hit the ball on the ground quite often — in fact, he’s on pace to break Jim Rice’s record for double plays grounded into in a season. If he gets out of rhythm, that could lead to a lot of low line drives during the Derby instead of fly balls that clear the fences.
2025 home runs: 19 | Longest: 440 feet
Why he could win: The Athletics slugger has been one of the top power hitters in the majors for three seasons now and is on his way to a third straight 30-homer season. Rooker has plus bat speed and raw power, but his biggest strength is an optimal average launch angle (19 degrees in 2024, 15 degrees this season) that translates to home runs in game action. That natural swing could be picture perfect for the Home Run Derby. He also wasn’t shy about saying he wanted to participate — and maybe that bodes well for his chances.
Why he might not: Rooker might not have quite the same raw power as some of the other competitors, as he has just one home run longer than 425 feet in 2025. But that’s a little nitpicky, as 11 of his home runs have still gone 400-plus feet. He competed in the college home run derby in Omaha while at Mississippi State in 2016 and finished fourth.
2025 home runs: 17 | Longest: 442 feet
Why he could win: Chisholm might not be the most obvious name to participate, given his career high of 24 home runs, but he has belted 17 already in 2025 in his first 61 games after missing some time with an injury. He ranks among the MLB leaders in a couple of home run-related categories, ranking in the 96th percentile in expected slugging percentage and 98th percentile in barrel rate. His raw power might not match that of the other participants, but he’s a dead-pull hitter who has increased his launch angle this season, which might translate well to the Derby, even if he won’t be the guy hitting the longest home runs.
Why he might not: Most of the guys who have won this have been big, powerful sluggers. Chisholm is listed at 5-foot-11, 184 pounds, and you have to go back to Miguel Tejada in 2004 to find the last player under 6 foot to win.
-
Sports3 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports1 year agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports2 years agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports2 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports4 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Sports2 years agoButton battles heat exhaustion in NASCAR debut
-
Environment2 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment2 years agoGame-changing Lectric XPedition launched as affordable electric cargo bike