New Allegation Emerging Against Babcock, As Oilers Hire Still On Hold

The Edmonton Oilers/Mike Babcock Saga is taking a new turn, according to insider Frank Seravalli. He claims that sources have told him that the NHLPA and the NHL are in receipt of "significant" additional claims against Babcock from his tumultuous Columbus Blue Jackets two-month tenure in 2023.

If #Oilers elect to continue down the path with Mike Babcock, sources say the #NHLPA is in receipt of “significant” additional claims from their own investigation with players that were not publicly reported in 2023.

Those claims were presented to #NHL prior to his resignation.
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) June 10, 2026

Seravalli says these additional claims were not publicly reported and were on top of the much-discussed "cellphone pictures" scandal. In fact, the insider adds that "sources indicate that asking players to see photos is NOT what ultimately resulted in Babcock’s resignation. It was the subsequent (unknown) allegation that cost Babcock his job in Columbus."

Could Oilers be scared off Babcock with revelation of new allegations?

This just keeps getting more and more sordid. There is no indication from Seravalli or anybody else at this point just exactly what those new allegations are, but we assume from the reporting here that it was something big enough that, once revealed, it could also scare off the Oilers.

On the other hand, insider David Pagnotta said today on Sabres Live that the understanding around the league is "that a lot of that dirty laundry has been aired out to Edmonton, so they appear to be aware of what's gone on and still want to move forward here... but we'll see if additional information comes out."

The NHLPA has asked the NHL to conduct an investigation.

Babcock spent just two months in the summer and fall of 2023 in the Blue Jackets' job before resigning even before training camp really got underway.

The controversial head coach has had plenty of run-ins with players in the past and was already raising significant eyebrows around the league just having his name mentioned as a possibility for the Oilers job.

Edmonton fired head coach Kris Knoblauch soon after their first-round elimination in the playoffs last month when word leaked that they had asked for permission to speak with recently-fired Vegas Golden Knights head coach Bruce Cassidy.

As we all know by now, the Oilers (as well as the LA Kings) were denied permission to speak with Cassidy, as he is still under contract and owed $5 million in salary by Vegas.