Blue Jackets Coach Mike Babcock The Center Of An NHLPA Investigation Over Privacy Breach

Coach Mike Babcock and captain Boone Jenner of the Columbus Blue Jackets have denied charges that Babcock acted improperly and breached players’ privacy by demanding to see images on their smartphones.

Former NHL player Paul Bissonnette said on Tuesday’s episode of the “Spittin’ Chiclets” podcast that Jenner was called to meet with Babcock earlier this summer, who requested to examine photographs on Jenner’s camera roll before showing them on his office wall through AirPlay.

Blue Jackets Coach Mike Babcock The Center Of An NHLPA Investigation Over Privacy Breach

Babcock, who was dismissed by the Maple Leafs in 2019 and is now back behind an NHL bench, has a history of controversy.

In what would have been his 1,500th and last game in Detroit, he famously scratched future Hall of Famer Mike Modano.

Former Red Wings forward Johan Franzen told Swedish outlet Expressen in 2019 that Babcock was a “terrible man, the worst person I’ve ever met. He’s a bully who was attacking people. It could be anyone, including a cleaner at the Detroit Arena. He would lash out at individuals for no apparent reason.”

Following comments made earlier today on a hockey podcast, Columbus Blue Jackets Head Coach Mike Babcock issued the following statements.

“During our meetings with our players and staff, I asked them to share family photos from their phones as part of the process of getting to know them better.” There was nothing more to it than that.

“The Spittin’ Chiclets podcast’s portrayal of those meetings was a gross misrepresentation and extremely offensive.”

“These meetings have been very important and beneficial, not only for me, but also for our players and staff, and to portray them in this manner is irresponsible and completely inaccurate.”

The NHLPA is apparently investigating the new Blue Jackets coach after ex-NHLer Paul Bissonnette stated on the “Spittin’ Chiclets” podcast that Babcock requested Columbus players to show him their phones and then broadcast photographs from them on his office TV.

“This player who texted me says he has about 20 stories exactly like the one I’m about to tell you,” Bissonette stated on Barstool Sports. “He called in players from his team and he’ll say, ‘Let me see your phone, open up your photos and I want to see who you are as a person. So, the players in the past have obviously passed over their phone, they plug it in and they bring it up on a flatscreen and he goes through the camera roll on your phone to see what type of person you are — whether you’re sending memes to the boys, whether you’re sending d–k pics … so this is what I’m hearing, this is coming from someone in the NHL.

“He gets to Columbus and one of the first things he does is he calls in Boone Jenner, the captain of the team, and says let me see the photos in your phone, I want to know the type of person you are. What the f–k is going on? Why do you want to see throbbing d–k pics from your captain on his iPhone? I don’t understand this.”

 

 

FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE- 

What Are The Newly Approved NBA Rules For Multiple Player Resting?