Confirmed with Link: CBJ hire Mike Babcock as head coach (UPDATE: Under NHLPA Investigation)

[CBJWerenski8]

 

[traffic cone]

Phone privacy issue.

 

[thebus88]

So what happens if this is someone like Fantilli? Who was on SC this off-season.. If it’s someone like him or Johnson what do you you do?

Remember Dubois and how perception and value of a player can change dramatically.

 

[domi28]

Just my opinion but "trying to digest things" sounds an awful lot like we know Babcock crossed a line he should not have but it technically doesn't break any CBA rules so we're trying to figure out what to do. If that ends up being the case the team is now in a damned if they do and damned if they don't situation in regards to keeping or firing Babcock.

 

[stevo61]

Just my opinion but "trying to digest things" sounds an awful lot like we know Babcock crossed a line he should not have but it technically doesn't break any CBA rules so we're trying to figure out what to do. If that ends up being the case the team is now in a damned if they do and damned if they don't situation in regards to keeping or firing Babcock.

Or its just a PR move because they cant really say much until the NHL does their bit.

 

[koteka]

Just my opinion but "trying to digest things" sounds an awful lot like we know Babcock crossed a line he should not have but it technically doesn't break any CBA rules so we're trying to figure out what to do.

It is now in a very complicated place if it turns out Babcock crossed boundaries. Jarmo and JD know they deserve to be fired if Babcock is fired, especially if Babcock still gets paid. Maybe it is with McConnell now.

 

[MAHJ71]

Gut says it’s Vincent’s team by Monday, but hope I’m wrong.

Still zero information to really base an opinion off of but I think we’re all so over this that we just want the damn thing resolved and to move on asap.

Another distinctive memory of being a CBJ fan.

 

[DarkandStormy]

OSU plays at 4:00. Nothing like a Saturday evening news dump around that time, should they want to do so.

 

[Jive Pawnbroker]

Regardless of how this ends up, this is maybe the most disastrous episode in CBJ history (which is saying a lot). You cannot mess up two consecutive hires in a row so quickly in any sport and expect to keep your job as a GM. JD can be sent packing as well as far as I'm concerned as he signed off on this risky hire. I think they were hoping for a reclamation project ala Torts but it blew up in their faces.

Hopefully the players can find a way to build some trust amongst themselves after this debacle. Boone's got his work cut out for him.

 

[KingAlfie11]

I am sick of social media and how it has given voices to the absurd and self serving egomaniacs

I couldn't agree with you more, the thing with social media is that ANYONE can make accusations without any proof whatsoever and once those "accusations" are out there you can't take them back even if they're false!! Today you can get fired just because you look at someone and you made them feel "uncomfortable"

 

[thebus88]

Didn’t think I could like Babcock and/or hate “society” any more than I did before October hit.

But here we are.

 

[We Want Ten]

This is freaking exhausting.

 

[Marioesque]

Didn’t think I could like Babcock and/or hate “society” any more than I did before October hit.

But here we are.

This has made you like Babs more? Can you elaborate on that?

 

[CBJWerenski8]

Traverse city tourney. He was at the first game

 

[CBJ goalie]

He's there for game 2, poster on Reddit said they saw him

 

[thebus88]

This has made you like Babs more? Can you elaborate on that?

I like(d) Hitchcock and Tortorella.

And Larsen for that matter.

Same shit different day.

All the rest is “off topic”.

 

[Marioesque]

I like(d) Hitchcock and Tortorella.

And Larsen for that matter.

Same shit different day.

All the rest is “off topic”.

Ok but that doesn't really explain how this incident has made you like him more.

 

[majormajor]

Assuming this is still in the "photo sharing faux pas" category and we don't learn anything worse than that, then I don't mind the press attention so much. I won't go as far as saying "there is no such thing as bad publicity" but I don't think attention hurts the team to the degree that a lot of folks are imagining. It puts more eyeballs on the games and when the games start the attention is going to be on winning and losing.

The real problem is if you can't get guys like KJ or Fantilli to work with Babs going forward. I think internally that has to be where Jarmo and JD are focused right now. Those players are simply more important than the coach. What do we owe him, $8m? It's a lot, but those two players are worth more. (Assuming we can't find grounds for contract termination - so far the information we have doesn't come close to legally allowing that).

 

[Indy18]

Assuming this is still in the "photo sharing faux pas" category and we don't learn anything worse than that, then I don't mind the press attention so much. I won't go as far as saying "there is no such thing as bad publicity" but I don't think attention hurts the team to the degree that a lot of folks are imagining. It puts more eyeballs on the games and when the games start the attention is going to be on winning and losing.

The real problem is if you can't get guys like KJ or Fantilli to work with Babs going forward. I think internally that has to be where Jarmo and JD are focused right now. Those players are simply more important than the coach. What do we owe him, $8m? It's a lot, but those two players are worth more. (Assuming we can't find grounds for contract termination - so far the information we have doesn't come close to legally allowing that).

Starting to sound like Babcock did a major faux pas but its not against CBA rules and can't file a grievance but you don't want your young studs to feel wronged for 2 years because they are your future. Burning $8mil is alot just to make the kids at ease and would cost Jarmo/JD their jobs. There is still probably going to be locker room friction as the kids put the Veterans in a bad spot and made Boone look like an extremely weak captain. There's probably going to be a major come to Jesus moment with everyone come Monday.

 

[Iron Balls McGinty]

Regardless of how this ends up, this is maybe the most disastrous episode in CBJ history (which is saying a lot). You cannot mess up two consecutive hires in a row so quickly in any sport and expect to keep your job as a GM. JD can be sent packing as well as far as I'm concerned as he signed off on this risky hire. I think they were hoping for a reclamation project ala Torts but it blew up in their faces.

Hopefully the players can find a way to build some trust amongst themselves after this debacle. Boone's got his work cut out for him.

It was said when this hire was made if it didn't work out it should be Jarmo's last hire.

I think that should still hold true. Upper management across the board is responsible for this if it is as bad as it could be.

If it's not, we'll see. There is definitely a line between being a terrible person and just making someone "uncomfortable" when wantng to to get to know them. This is most certainly not a Blackhawks situation here based upon information we know today.

 

[Fred Glover]

Assuming this is still in the "photo sharing faux pas" category and we don't learn anything worse than that, then I don't mind the press attention so much. I won't go as far as saying "there is no such thing as bad publicity" but I don't think attention hurts the team to the degree that a lot of folks are imagining. It puts more eyeballs on the games and when the games start the attention is going to be on winning and losing.

The real problem is if you can't get guys like KJ or Fantilli to work with Babs going forward. I think internally that has to be where Jarmo and JD are focused right now. Those players are simply more important than the coach. What do we owe him, $8m? It's a lot, but those two players are worth more. (Assuming we can't find grounds for contract termination - so far the information we have doesn't come close to legally allowing that).

After reading all of the speculation I need a drink
and some who are ready to jump off the bridge need a sedative

 

[ThirdPeriodTurtle]

I cannot imagine Jarmo/JD/front office making the decision to fire Babcock over this unless the NHL/NHLPA forces their hand (and that has to be for cause meaning that the CBJ wouldn't have to pay Babcock, surely there must be stuff like that in the contracts). But I have to think Jarmo/JD are fully committed - they knew what they were getting and they'll have to stick to it and see how it goes on the ice. I see it either being Babcock and one or more of the front office going, or nobody.

I think the uncomfortableness is repairable with good work by the front office/HR/the involved parties. I don't think it needs to be bridges burned, especially if Babcock keeps his job. If Babcock is fired and the season doesn't start well, then it might be a different situation...

 

[Iron Balls McGinty]

Has anyone considered that the NHLPA likes having SC stir sh*t on their behalf and is just researching and looking for things. Maybe the league and the team are trying to find a polite way to tell the NHLPA to pound sand after their findings were a big fat list of petty grievances?

Honestly we don't know but it is an option of what transpired.

 

[614 CBJ]

I cannot imagine Jarmo/JD/front office making the decision to fire Babcock over this unless the NHL/NHLPA forces their hand (and that has to be for cause meaning that the CBJ wouldn't have to pay Babcock, surely there must be stuff like that in the contracts). But I have to think Jarmo/JD are fully committed - they knew what they were getting and they'll have to stick to it and see how it goes on the ice. I see it either being Babcock and one or more of the front office going, or nobody.

I think the uncomfortableness is repairable with good work by the front office/HR/the involved parties. I don't think it needs to be bridges burned, especially if Babcock keeps his job. If Babcock is fired and the season doesn't start well, then it might be a different situation...

If Jarmo and JD go, what about Nash?

well documented he advocated for Babcock.

 

[Crede777]

Has anyone considered that the NHLPA likes having SC stir sh*t on their behalf and is just researching and looking for things. Maybe the league and the team are trying to find a polite way to tell the NHLPA to pound sand after their findings were a big fat list of petty grievances?

Honestly we don't know but it is an option of what transpired.

It seems to me that the NHLPA is trying to save face. I say that because of this line in the article from Portzline:

But the NHLPA also is trying to determine if the story was leaked — or tweaked — as part of a former player’s vendetta against Babcock.

NHLPA speaks with Blue Jackets players following Babcock allegations

Babcock has denied the report that he scrolled through players' cell phone pictures in an attempt to "know what type of person you are."

theathletic.com

A question I have is if the CBJ player notified the NHLPA and it was someone in the NHLPA who leaked to Bissonette.

If so, that's a pretty big breach of protocol for what should be a confidential process.