Paul Bissonnette lashes out at Blue Jackets' statement addressing Mike Babcock allegations

By Abhilasha Aditi

Modified Sep 13, 2023 11:44 GMT

In the world of professional sports, where respect, teamwork, and accountability are held in high regard, recent allegations against former NHL coach Mike Babcock have shocked the hockey community.

The controversy intensified when former NHL player and current media personality Paul Bissonnette took to Twitter to voice his concerns. In doing so, he ignited a fiery debate about the coach's alleged actions and the response from the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Bissonnette's tweet, which read,

"Tell Babs to knock off the bullshit. Enough with putting guys on the spot in the coaches' room asking them to link their phones up to airplay mode and grilling them. I’ve had tons of players confirm it. Smarten the f*** up Babs. Shove your statement up his a**."

It was in response to the Blue Jackets' statement regarding Babcock's actions during his tenure as a coach. Mike Babcock's statement attempted to clarify the situation, stating,

"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. There was absolutely nothing more to it than that."

Babcock expressed his disappointment in the way his actions were portrayed on the Spittin' Chiclets podcast, calling it a "gross misrepresentation" and "extremely offensive."

Babcock said,

"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."

The allegations against Babcock stem from former player Johan Franzen among several others, who accused him of being verbally abusive during his time as a coach with different teams.

Franzen's accusations have raised concerns about the culture of intimidation and psychological pressure within the sport of hockey. It has prompted a wider conversation about the treatment of players by coaches and authority figures.

Mike Babcock hired as Blue Jackets coach

Bissonnette's public condemnation of Mike Babcock's actions and the Blue Jackets' decision to hire him despite the past allegations have exposed a deep divide within the hockey community.

On one side, there are those who believe that Mike Babcock's alleged behavior should not be tolerated and that teams should prioritize players' well-being. On the other side, there are those who argue that people deserve a second chance and that the coach should not be judged solely on past actions.

The Blue Jackets' decision to hire Babcock on July 1, as a replacement for the Brad Larsen has also come under scrutiny.