3:08 PM: The Blue Jackets are in now officially announced Babcock’s resignation. Assistant coach Pascal Vincent was named the club’s new head coach, and signed a two-year contract extension.
2:48 PM: According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, Columbus Blue Jackets head coach Mike Babcock is expected to resign from his post this afternoon.
Columbus officially named Babcock their head coach on July 1 after his previous contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs, who fired him in November of 2019, expired. This week, Babcock is the subject of a joint NHL/NHLPA investigation fueled by allegations that Babcock asked to view the phones and/or photos of several Blue Jackets players, originally the former NHL player reported. Paul Bissonnette on a recent episode of the Spittin’ Chiclets podcast.
NHLPA officials met Friday after meeting with several Blue Jackets players and staff and said they were “providing the NHL with an update on our ongoing review” in a statement released after the meeting. The Daily Faceoff Frank Seravalli reports that the now concluded NHLPA investigation “leaves no path for Babcock to continue as coach.” Friedman reports on Sportsnet’s first edition 32 Thoughts podcast last week that while veterans Boone Jenner and Johnny Gaudreau comfortable with their exchanges with Babcock about the photo-sharing exercise, many of the younger players on the roster don’t feel the same way.
The Blue Jackets have yet to release a statement. At the time of writing, it is unclear what path the Blue Jackets will take to name an interim head coach with training camp beginning this week.
By resigning, Babcock walked away from the remaining two years of a contract that was set to pay him a total of $8MM.