Mike Babcock and Boone Jenner issued statements Tuesday refuting claims that the Columbus Blue Jackets coach wanted to see personal photos on the captain’s phone “to know the type of a person” he was.
Former NHLer Paul Bissonnette said on Barstool Sports’ “Spittin’ Chiclets Podcast” that he received a text from a player saying the new Blue Jackets coach called Jenner into his office and said, “‘Let me see the photos in your phone. I want to know the type of person you are.'”
Through the Blue Jackets, Babcock and Jenner released statements denying any impropriety occurred.
“While meeting with our players and staff, I asked them to share, off their phones, family pictures as part of the process of getting to know them better,” Babcock said in the team-issued statement. “There was absolutely nothing more to it than that. The way this was portrayed on the ‘Spittin’ Chiclets’ podcast was a gross misrepresentation of those meetings and extremely offensive. These meetings have been very important and beneficial, not only for me but for our players and staff, as well, and to have them depicted like this is irresponsible and completely inaccurate.”
“While meeting with ‘Babs,’ he asked me about my family and where I’m from, my upcoming wedding and hockey-related stuff,” Jenner said in his statement. “He then asked if I had pictures of my family, and I was happy to share some with him. He showed me pictures of his family. I thought it was a great first meeting and good way for us to start to build a relationship. To have this blown out of proportion is truly disappointing.”
The Columbus Dispatch reported that the NHLPA is investigating the matter.
Babcock came under fire during his time with the Maple Leafs for reportedly asking Mitch Marner to rank the hardest-working players on the team during Marner’s rookie season in 2016-17, a list that later got back to the players. He was fired Nov. 20, 2019.
After his time with the Maple Leafs, Babcock joined the University of Saskatchewan in February 2021 and coached the men’s hockey team for one season. He announced his retirement on Aug. 26, 2022, and hasn’t coached since. His hiring by the Blue Jackets was announced July 1.
The 60-year-old Babcock has coached 1,301 games in the NHL, earning exactly 700 wins over 17 seasons with the Anaheim Ducks, Detroit Red Wings and Maple Leafs.
He won the Stanley Cup with the Red Wings in 2008 and guided the club back to the Stanley Cup Final the following year. Babcock also reached the Stanley Cup Final with the Ducks during his first season behind the bench, in 2003.
His time with Detroit was also marred afterward by strong accusations by former Red Wings forward Johan Franzen, who played under Babcock.
Franzen revealed he suffered mental struggles while in Detroit and told Swedish outlet Expressen that Babcock was “a bully who was attacking people” and “the worst person I have ever met.”
Hall of Famer Chris Chelios backed up Franzen’s accusations, telling a story on the Spittin’ Chiclets podcast about Babcock verbally assaulting Franzen on the bench during the 2011-12 playoffs.