Barn Burner: Boomer & Pinder with Rhett Warrener - Will The NHL Allow Mike Babcock To Return?? | BB Clips

Episode Date: June 12, 2026

Boomer, Pinder and Rhett dive back into the increasingly chaotic Mike Babcock situation as the Edmonton Oilers' coaching search takes another dramatic turn. What initially looked like a controversial hire has now become even more complicated after reports surfaced that the NHLPA has formally requested the NHL delay Babcock's hiring until a full investigation can be completed. The guys discuss the latest reporting, why this story refuses to go away, and what it means for both Babcock and the Oilers moving forward. They also revisit the allegations that led to Babcock's resignation in Columbus before he ever coached a game and debate whether Edmonton should continue pursuing him at all. With the NHLPA, NHL and Oilers now all involved, the biggest question is simple: how does this actually end? Does Babcock eventually get the job, or has this process become too messy to move forward? Let us know what you think in the comments.Video Link: https://youtu.be/Z3Asa_L2t9M#nhl #nhlshorts #nhlplayoffs #nhlpredictions #nhlhockey #nhlpicks #stanleycup #stanleycupfinal #edmontonoilers CHECK OUT OUR STUFF ⬇️BARN BURNER MERCHhttps://nationgear.ca/collections/shirts/FlamesnationBARN BURNER SHORTS https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLj_bcGtvvo-cW2DHEDZ6dEO5ePDmlhZc9&si=jo8iNGxT4ImhS2Y8📲 Follow us:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fnbarnburner/X (Twitter): https://x.com/barnburnerfn?lang=en🎧 Listen on:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/be/podcast/barn-burner-boomer-pinder-with-rhett-warrener/id1648562889Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3Mc6Qd5U22R2zbMlQ7RxIiProducer: Jack Haverstock Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

And Farangi said they might be warming up the bullpen because the investigation is going to find some things. Hmm. Yeah, I'm not saying anything yet. Nope. We'll let you know. We'll break you in. I'm sure it'll be really quick. It's probably easy to get a hold of guys in their off season.

Like, you know, 25 athletes, trainers, sports staff, assistance. Yeah. Like, you know what? We were actually, there's a little light around here once you get through the draft. now we have something to soak up our entire summers and ruin our vacation. Thanks, Daryl. Thanks, Katsy boy. Thanks, Stan. Hey, aren't you glad we reinstated you, Stan?

Thanks for this pilot. Stay on our desk. How does it end? No, it doesn't need to be a... The Knicks are winning for sure. Yeah, okay, yeah. It doesn't need to be one of those... Three-one, Dean. I don't know what...

Online polls. You think they're coming back from three-one? Do the Oilers hire Babcock? NHL says Oilers can't hire Babcock, or Babcock says, F this, I'm not. F this, I'm not. I think I will go with the resignation.

It's what we saw last time they threatened to investigate them. And that's like it feels like you would know if you're trying to put your hat back in the, well, I feel like if that was going to happen, that should be happening right now before they start digging into here. There is this thing about him though,

where he's incredibly headstrong and overconfident and massive ego. And I don't know. There's also the fact that you're innocent. I think this is how the law works. We'll have to talk to McLeod law. But I've been told that it's an old saying, and I don't know if it's technical enough.

What is it? I think you're innocent until proven false. To prove and false. Guilty. That's the one. Innocent until proven guilty. Now, if this was in a court of law, yes. Basically, the NHL is going to say.

You weren't the judge and jury on everything. No, I was just going to say the NHS. decided that I know, but you can't just say, why does this make you mad? I'm literally, why? Because you're not your willing and able to say that the guy is the lowest authority on a law on earth. I didn't finish the sentence. What I was going to say is this isn't a court of law.

The NHL will say he's eligible to coach or he isn't. It's not up to the law or being proven guilty. It's, is the NHL comfortable with this guy being employed and representing the brand? That's who makes the decision here. It's not the law. This isn't innocent to proven guilty. It's no shit. Is the NHL comfortable having this guy coach in their league?

They will say he is or he isn't, or he'll back up before the process is done. Those are the three outcomes. Okay. So we don't have to talk about it, Jack? Right. We are talking. Giving us the professional opinion? I just have never heard this circumstance surrounding another coach since the

Quenville stuff, which was quite a bit different. And there was a lot of layers that he was not a part of. There's still layers to this that you don't have a first thing. I don't know what the layers are. I'm just trying to think of the, because I think you guys got defensive because you've played for hard coaches and liked them, but I've never heard their names associated with anything like this.

Like what? Give us an example. If you have such insight, let's hear what you know about Mike Babcock and what he's done. I don't have instances to speak of. I just mean that the NHL would have to do an investigation to see whether he's eligible to coach in the league. See, that to me is,

because it was like Noodles was saying, I guess it was yesterday. Unless something comes otherwise, there's nothing law breaking, right? It's not like the police are going to walk him out in cuffs. This is potentially deplorable behavior. The poor ways of treating people, that sort of thing. But there's nothing that is against the law. So the league, I guess, if they're not going to make him available to coach,

does he have to be suspended? Do they have to suspend him for a certain amount of time? They have to look to your point. this is against our code of conduct. And we're not going to allow you to take part in our league anymore for a certain amount of time. All I'm saying to you is you have to allow that Mike Babcock has an opinion on this as well. Yeah. And that his take matters on how it all plays out.

Yeah. I think the thing that is interesting is that the last time he was in this position, he was employed with a team and rather than go through the investigation, he backed out and that's, I don't know what happened, I don't have details. It just feels like a bit of a smoking gun,

doesn't it? Is there, and I'm saying this, I'm kind of leading the witness, is there a possibility that at that time, whatever was six years ago, or 2020,

2020, it was like, this isn't worth it for me, I don't need to coach Columbus that badly, I'm out. Rather than have, whereas now he's been away from it for a number of years,

he wants to get back in. This is a different opportunity to coach the best player in the world. I wonder if this is different. So what I'm saying is just to finish my point, it was less three years ago about, oh, boy, I'm in big trouble. I got to get to hell out of here

before they see what I did, as opposed to, it's not worth it, screw it. I think he was key to coach Columbus because two months prior, he was trying to get back into the league for the first time in four years. I think it meant everything.

Levels. That's all I'm saying. Yeah, and you might feel like it's a different level. I think if Mike Babcock walks away from an investigation in 20203, he might have to look at the mirror and say, I might never coach again. So that is a big decision to walk away. I think that was like,

why would he walk away? You don't have too much judge and jury in your tone. He's asking my opinion, so I'm giving him a lot. His opinion was that this means more now. My opinion was, it meant a lot in 20203. Is it possible that that exists? Of course it's possible. That he was just at the end of his Toronto thing,

his contract, like the contract had just expired. He hadn't coached four years. if I'm correct. I need, I don't need to coach Columbus that badly. I wonder if that's just, it's impossible. There's no way,

saying that it's possible, but you're wrong. It's not what it was. And I don't disagree. Maybe he walked away for a reason. And this is the best option you have, Edmonton, all this shit that you have to put everyone through.

Yeah. It's wild. It is wild. You said on the show, unprompted two weeks ago, he's not a good coach. I don't think he is a good coach. He's not taking a team.

So imagine, because I think you could tell a good coach from an average. He's not coached me. So do you want to say, because he's viewed as, you know, he's one of the best of all time, that he's not an all time great coach or you're saying he's not a good coach. Well, can I say a couple things? Yes. What he's a, I think when he coached in Anaheim and coming up, there was some legitimate coaching that was good, but I'll bet you he was hard on guys in too.

So anyway. he's not won with teams that weren't really good. Now, Quenville won with Colorado. Good team? Chicago, yeah. Chicago? Yeah. Yes, good team. So that's, there's a common thread there.

You could look at the teams he's coached and the talent level they've had and said he's underdelivered. I mean, the Olympics. That's more of what. That's this we've ever seen in those rosters. He's regarded as one of the best effort. Oddly. When you don't talk about this side of things. Until his time ended in Toronto, that was the rep.

And by the time it ended to Toronto, I think it was like, have we been fooled? Ask me that question again, because it triggered a thought and I never got to it. That he's just not an all-time great coach or that he's not a good coach? Because he said, you said the other day that he's not a good coach. Yeah, it was before he came on. I just, if you want to get unpainted from that corner. No, no, no. I don't think he, I, well, that's what.

was the other thing I was going to say. How many good coaches are out there that haven't been put in a position that he's been given? Do you know what I mean? Like the, it's the same as what I talk about GMs. Oh, everyone's like, oh,

you can't, boomer can't be, why? Why? You absolutely, Jack could be a fucking GM in the league. If you just put the time in, put into a position where you can move up the ladder and do,

right? Like, and so what I'm saying about the coaching is, is he a good coach? He's probably a fine coach, but he ain't any better than anyone else that's put in the time and effort to be a coach. He's just been given an opportunity.

He's not so good that when he walks in, the sun comes out and shit starts happening. Yeah, I don't think this is Scotty Bowman. I don't think this is Al Arbor. I don't think it's Joel. Quinville. And so where did Joel Quinville go that hasn't gone well? Now, he's had good teams.

He was in St. Louis. and they were winning presidents. I don't think it was the other stuff about Joel that happened in Chicago. That's the only reason that he was away from the game. And I'm not, I don't even, I don't, I don't, I'm talking about the hockey side of things. Because I think that, and what I get frustrated with is that we don't have the details. I know there's trends here. Yeah.

I got a pretty good idea of what's going on, but we don't have the details. Could it be absolutely, like, where as a society, we're very quick to go, guilty, bad person, burn them at the stake. And there's been a track record here too, which probably doesn't help Mike, even if this was, maybe if this is a different coach, it blows over. But when you read the accusations that the players have said from their own mouths of how we treated them. Where do you read the accusation? Well, there's been a bunch of articles written about it. And so when I mentioned names yesterday with noodles, you guys both immediately got stink face. and I'm like, if you read the things,

these players today, hey? No, no, no, no. So you're going to name a list of names like you're a lawyer that's done research on this. I'm just telling you, if you read the quotes from those players. What are the quotes? Tell me the quotes if you know them. Well, I'll pull the article. You're talking like, again, like you're the expert on this.

You're been digging like, Jesus, we're kind of on the same page, but you're trying to sound like you have done enough that the league doesn't need to. Just call Ryan. I've done this guy said this. I'm absolutely not trying to say that is how you sound okay well so there are articles where journalists have done research and asked players who have been in testifies with my Mike Babcock how they feel about them I think those are important things to read other people don't they just say you know what it was a different era I like to hear what the players

what did they say about the coach what Denny Lambert lived in Toronto his two-year-old had a broken femur Babcock had him fly across the country and say you're not welcome with the team had him skating on his own. Flew him all the way across the country with a two-year-old of the broken leg. Like that's one example. Mike Madano had things to say. There's like every one of the guys I named, there's quotes in that article. So you can read it.

Or you can't do nothing. What they got. I must be an idiot because I didn't read the article. And I don't stare at fucking Twitter all day. Oh, dumb breath. No one said Reds dumb. Fuck. I don't believe you.

You're hard. I just, when I do read the article and I get this. It makes you an expert. So somebody else's work makes you an expert. Way to go. I'm not an expert. While you talk like it. I think what happened yesterday is that you guys played in an era where there were really hard coaches

and you might not have liked it, but you respected that it allowed a team to get to a level it might not have got to. And I think when we talk about Daryl a lot, I think there's a lot of things there. The only point I was making is I've never heard players on the record say Daryl's a horrible human. I've never been treated more poorly by another. Like the thing about Daryl, you always said was he'd be on hard yet, but be real hard on you'd be like, how's your family? What's going on with your dad?

My opinion is your brother. It's not everyone's. I'll tell you that. I know. And I'm sure there were guys that didn't like Daryl, but to have the amount of people that were willing to go public and say the things they've said about them, I've never seen before.

And maybe it's because players are getting softer and it's in a new era. But I think you guys almost felt offended that you were lumping. in hard coaches with Babs. I was not doing that. I think this is an egomaniac who absolutely praise on weak people and loves being an asshole. You have not spoke with this man personally and you're saying this about him. That's, yeah, that's the impression I get. Okay, well, that's paid to have an opinion, so it's fine. And I'm not saying, here's what's right. Everyone has to believe me. I'm telling you what my belief is. I just think it's odd. If you go to a press conference when he's unveiled as the highest paid coach in the history of the sport.

And he talks about himself and the third person multiple times. I'm like, whoa, there's some massive ego here. Like maybe I'm wrong. Maybe I have herself very open. No. And again, I'm not saying that this is what he is. I'm just saying these are the fields I get. And then people that I know that I trust say bad human, it's like, that's where I'm at.

I'm not. So do you trust my opinion? Yeah. Because I have people that live in Saskatchew and I know this man and say he's, a great person. Yep. And away from the rink, is he the same as at? I don't know. I think there's lots people of different views on him, but I

can't think of a more unnecessary shit store for the Upton Oathes for a guy that we think's probably a middle of the pack coach in 26. Yeah, I mean, there's a lot there. Vegas, right? Like, that's what we all agree on. It's curious because like we all, I think we've all talked because he was here. Bob

Hartley was mean to his players. There were guys couldn't stand Bob Hartley is the only coach that had a no trade clause. That's right. Braden Coburn had it in his contract. I will not be traded to a Bob Hartley coach team. And that's, that's another level.

To it. Keenan would be in that mix too. Right. But if they were saying, if the oilers said, we're looking at Bob Hartley, this wouldn't be the same firestorm. So there's something more with Babcock than just being. Yeah.

There is. right? It has to be more than just, oh, he's kind of a dick to his players. And I don't know, I've never heard the full thing of what went on in Columbus and we don't know what it is, but it felt pretty innocuous what was reported for him to walk away from a multi-million dollar job that got him back into the NHL. When you go back that whole thing, because it was biz and the guys on spit and chicklets, when they brought it up, and they're like, there's some bad shit going on in Columbus with this guy. And then like Frank could put it out on Twitter,

X. It's like, what, what got him out, what he walked away from was not the pictures. Let me look at your phone, that sort of thing. So that's, that's what's confusing to me is I don't even need to know what it was. But if it was so bad then, is it less bad now? And we're two, three, four days into this now. Why is, what is, what is, an investigation is going to take weeks. That's a very, but, but if it, boomer makes a good point of, if you were,

if whatever happened was worth walking away from him, you've got to say it too, but like, did you not know this was going to appear? Yeah, and I don't need to talk to trainers and go down. If this one incident is bad enough for me to deem him un-ineligible, then I don't need to do the rest of the investigation. Yeah, but that's not how they work. I agree with you, but if they do an investigation, it will be thorough. Like, do you remember how long the Chicago one took? They hired a law firm, and it took like a half year and it was a fucking 200-page document. They are thorough.

I agree. If there's a smoking gun, you should hammer it now. That's not how these leagues operate. Because they're covering their asses legally. They won't be able to have that luxury because the oilers want to hire a coach. They have the luxury. Absolutely.

He's not cleared to be hired until they've finished the investigation. But he's not suspended, is he? No, but he's, again, the PA stepped in and said, NHL, we want you to investigate this. There was an investigation set to be done when he resigned. When he resigned, they said, well, he's not in the league anymore. Like that's the thing. We don't have to do this investigation.

Now he wants to get back in. he can't be hired into the NHL until he's clear to this point is my interpretation. I don't. So the others can sit and wait. I guess you wouldn't come out and talk, but it feels odd too that we've heard nothing from him. Yeah, it's whether or not

what he did to every person in the room, wherever you go, do you think that was pretty bad? Was that bullying? Is bullying bad? How bad levels? All that sort of thing. That's up for debate. What isn't is the oil is choosing this path. Yeah. That's the one avoidable thing.

And if they didn't know this was coming, I can't shake their head for them hard. How could you not have seen this coming? I just think of times. And that's what I said yesterday at the end of the show. It's like, it's because they're oilers. And the oilers have tattoos in their face. And they don't know.

You've talked to oiler fans. There's an arrogance about the organization. And desperation makes you believe crazy. things. When you need something to work, you can convince yourself it's going to work because it's all you have. They might have one year left of the best player we'll watch in our lives. They need to get this right. And they're convincing themselves, Babs is the guy, the guy that has not coached in the league for seven years. That's just it. Like us arguing and pissing and moaning at each other is ridiculous. The fact over a girl is you arrive on this guy for the goal. The goal

get David Carl. I had an oil or honk at my house yesterday and he said what we're saying, he goes oh, I don't know how for the past decade they've operated this team. It's embarrassing. These are oiler honk words. When you look at

what have they done right? Yeah, there's been a few things that have gone a while I'd say Zach Hyman and Hyman was a good, yeah, at home was a good trade. At home's a great trade. Bouchard might be one of their only draft and developed stories that's not like top 10 ironclad stuff. They've been so bad in the draft.

I mean, to that point, we have fun with them. And he's got, it's a hell of a draft pick. He had 90 points on the, I guess he is a, he's a massive success story. Yeah. Yeah, they swing and missing that range normally. And he's one of the top offensive defensemen in the NHL. That's a great story.

But you literally are now looking at the grains in the hourglass being like, holy shit. Like we might get nothing. And getting to game seven of the Stanley final is incredible. But we're talking about a Mount Rushmore athlete. One of the greatest four of all time. And another superstar in his prime

for a decade with him. And you literally have a consolation silver medal. Who would be of the same ilk? Franchise would have had two. I think it's Yager and Lemieux. Yager and Lemieux. Yeah, but they won. Oh, are you saying teams that didn't win?

Yeah. It's hard to find. it's tough to find a duo that good that hasn't one. I don't think there is one. I don't think there's ever been a player at Conner's age that hasn't won a cup at his caliber. People say Ovi, but I think Conner's quite a bit when you start listing all-timers, he's a separate tier. He's in the all-time grades.

He's up there with Wayne, Mario, Bobby Orr, Gordy Howe, Sid, all them had two at 29. They've wasted it. Who's the best GM he had? Who's the best goalie at? Thornton and Marlowe in San Jose? Yeah, stars. Not superstars, not like heart trophy candidate every year. Not two of those guys.

I'll say, I wanted to get the dates right. Because again, God, are we getting old? Or at least I am. I thought, and this goes back a long time, but when Bob Nicholson came in with Ken Holland and Dave Tippett, it felt like, ooh, okay, well, Shirelli's out. It's Maddleton's in the building now. Okay, they've got it going here.

and that it feels like that was a long, long time ago. It was five years of Holland, the summer of Jeff Jackson, and now two stand moments. There's one person that's always there. Yeah, the owner's always there. It's a big problem. Not our job to talk about it. Not our job. I say keep them.

Keith up. Looks great. Right. work.