The talk about Mike Babcock returning to the NHL took another turn after hockey insider Frank Seravalli shared a new update. He reported that the NHL Players’ Association wants the Edmonton Oilers to slow down the hiring process.

Replying to a report from NHL insider Darren Dreger on X, Seravalli said his sources told him that the NHLPA has asked the NHL to delay any Oilers hiring of Babcock until a formal investigation is finished.

The news quickly caught attention across the hockey world, with many fans seeing it as a major hurdle to Babcock’s possible return to an NHL bench.

Frank Seravalli made those comments shortly after Darren Dreger reported that the NHL Players’ Association had officially asked the league to investigate claims that Mike Babcock invaded players’ privacy during his short time with the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2023.

Reports from TSN and The Athletic say the union wants the NHL to review what happened before the Edmonton Oilers make any hiring decision.

The issue goes back to September 2023. Reports said some Blue Jackets players felt uncomfortable after Babcock asked to see photos from their phone camera rolls during private meetings.

Babcock resigned before coaching a regular-season game in Columbus, so the NHL never carried out a formal investigation into the claims.

Now, the latest updates from Frank Seravalli and Darren Dreger quickly led to strong reactions from fans, with many sharing their opinions online.

Fans React to NHLPA's Request for Delay

Many Edmonton Oilers fans supported the NHLPA’s reported request and felt the league should complete a full review before making a final decision.

One fan called for patience as the debate continued to grow.

“In a world where everyone is happy to jump to conclusions, let’s just wait and see where the investigation takes us and what’s believable and what’s b*******.”

The comment showed the belief that people should wait for all the facts before deciding whether Mike Babcock is the right choice for the job.

Others were much more direct in their opposition. “Please delay it indefinitely.” Another fan jokingly asked: “Is to early to start wearing the paper bag?”

The reactions showed that some fans are already unhappy about the possibility of the Edmonton Oilers hiring Mike Babcock. Several fans also asked why Edmonton is considering Babcock when other coaching options may be available.

“The Oilers can't find another guy? Why hire Babcock?” Another fan said.

One of the fans hoped for Cassidy’s availability, “The good news is that by the time the investigation is over, Cassidy will be available.”

While some fans are willing to wait for the investigation results, the overall reaction showed that many people are still not convinced that Mike Babcock is the right choice.

For now, Frank Seravalli’s report has increased attention on a hiring process that was already creating a lot of debate across the hockey world.

What do you think? Will the NHLPA’s request eventually change the Edmonton Oilers’ plans to hire Mike Babcock as their permanent head coach?

Read more at the NHL Fan Central. 

Written by

Kapil Manghnani

Edited by

Kaamna Dwivedi