Blue Jackets head coach Mike Babcock and captain Boone Jenner released statements Tuesday regarding allegations made on the Spittin' Chiclets podcast.
“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 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.”
NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly told Nick Cotsonika, a writer for NHL.com, that the league and Players' Association have been in contact regarding the allegation. Daly said that, as of Tuesday afternoon, the league considers the matter settled.
"What was being reported by Paul Bissonette – or at least his characterizations of what transpired – isn’t consistent with what the players are reporting to the Players’ Association, including that none of them felt that the interactions were at all inappropriate or improper," Daly said.
Mike Babcock has allegedly been asking various Blue Jackets to see their phones then AirPlaying their photos on his office TV.
— Spittin' Chiclets (@spittinchiclets) September 12, 2023
: https://t.co/sFJxtm8Pp2 pic.twitter.com/zsiql2uJ5x
“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 the 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 Blue Jackets are scheduled to begin on-ice work at training camp on September 21.
