A fresh wrinkle has emerged in the ongoing tale of whether Mike Babcock makes his way back to a bench in the league.
The earlier read on the situation was that a league inquiry into Babcock's behavior at his most recent stop in Columbus could scare Edmonton off bringing him aboard. That outlook, however, may no longer apply.
Speaking on a recent installment of his eponymous show, Johnston relayed that those familiar with Babcock's circumstances expect he'll be permitted to work after the probe wraps up. The insider stressed, though, that nothing is finalized, noting he was simply relaying his sources' views.
Johnston explained that a number of the people he knows — folks who were on the scene and have a sharper read on exactly what occurred — figure Babcock gets the green light to return. Even so, he cautioned against rushing to judgment on an inquiry, noting there could be details he himself doesn't know.
Co-host Julian McKenzie offered added confirmation that Edmonton's core leadership group — featuring superstars Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid — has already sat down with Babcock and supports the notion of bringing him in.
The league's look into Babcock seems poised to extend past the well-publicized cell phone matter, with previously undisclosed claims surfacing that ultimately prompted his exit. Since Babcock chose to step down instead of being dismissed or suspended, those claims were never formally reviewed; the players' association, for its part, wants the process finished before he returns to coaching.
Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet further suggested that Babcock might have resigned specifically to sidestep the inquiry, judging the headache and possible conclusions not worth enduring. Johnston likewise questioned whether sitting through such a probe would prove worthwhile for the NHL, for Edmonton (or any club with interest in him), and for Babcock himself.
Johnston wondered aloud whether the whole exercise pays off for anybody, Babcock included, during the latest episode. He raised doubt over whether Babcock would even care to put himself through whatever the inquiry ends up involving, while sharing his sense that Babcock believes he did nothing of the kind. What happened over in Columbus was unfortunate, Johnston said, but perhaps the way it's being framed has been overblown, and an inquiry might bear that out — though it could just as easily prove the reverse.
Amid the continuing saga, the name Darryl Sutter has surfaced as a potential contender for the Edmonton job. The Oilers opened the position after dismissing Kris Knoblauch in the wake of a first-round elimination this past playoffs.
On top of that, with the campaign due to close out within the week and Vegas no longer chasing a title, Bruce Cassidy might once more shape up as a realistic target for clubs. That said, Vegas could still be unwilling to let its former coach sit for interviews with a divisional foe.