Frank Ceravalli

Yeah, so my sources indicate that the NHLPA has asked the NHL to put this potential Mike Babcock hiring on ice.

until a formal investigation can be conducted and completed.

And part of the reason for that is when things got really messy in Columbus and the NHLPA first stepped in and Marty Walsh and Ron Hainsey flew to Columbus to meet with players, what happened shortly thereafter was Mike Babcock resigned.

He came to a settlement with the Blue Jackets and there was never...

No one really ever formally fact-checked or looked into the depth of the allegations.

And so with that, it kind of just went away and was left to fester until it reached a point where, and this was the unknown, if Mike Babcock would be interested in working again.

So what I can tell, and I'm not...

not formally kind of reporting this part, but what people have whispered to me is they think the NHLPA is in receipt of more damaging information and Intel than perhaps we even publicly know.

Now that might not just include Columbus.

Like it might stem back from further union members that have reported.

I don't know.

But they seem to be pretty concerned about the potentiality of Mike Babcock working in the NHL again.

And they'd like to see his past, I think, be looked into with more detail and with a microscope.

It's a really dangerous game to play to answer that, and I'll tell you why.

Because I've seen some outlets quote and say, oh, well, this player says he was okay with it.

This player, he didn't see any issue.

I think you have to remember how this has historically worked for Mike Babcock and people who operate like Mike Babcock, which is,

everyone kind of has a different experience.

The superstars get one treatment, the rookies get another, the vets get something different.

The bottom of the lineup guys who are in and out could be treated on a totally different level than everyone else.