Former NHL coach Mike Babcock's return to the league was short-lived and marred by controversy. Babcock resigned as head coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets after just 78 days without coaching any games. The news was first reported by Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman. Babcock's tenure with the Blue Jackets quickly took a turn for the worse when former player Paul Bissonnette made shocking allegations on the "Spittin' Chiclets" podcast. Bissonnette claimed that Babcock asked Blue Jackets captain Boone Jenner to show him his camera roll and then displayed the photos on his office wall using AirPlay. Babcock and Jenner both released statements through the Blue Jackets, stating that the photo requests were meant to build relationships and that the photos shared were of family members. However, the NHL Players' Association (NHLPA) launched an investigation into whether Babcock violated players' privacy with these requests. NHLPA executive director Marty Walsh and assistant executive director Ron Hainsey met with Blue Jackets players to gather information regarding the incident. The NHLPA officials then met with NHL officials in New York to discuss the matter further. Babcock's reputation has been under scrutiny since his firing from the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2019. During his time with the Maple Leafs, Babcock requested a private meeting with rookie Mitch Marner, asked him to rank his teammates by work ethic, and then shared the list with players ranked at the bottom. Former Red Wings player Johan Franzen also spoke out about the verbal abuse he endured from Babcock during his time with the team. Despite being out of the NHL for four years and coaching the University of Saskatchewan, Babcock's reputation continued to haunt him in Columbus. The Blue Jackets had hoped to rehabilitate Babcock, but the controversy surrounding the photo requests has backfired. The NHLPA's investigation will determine whether Babcock's actions crossed a line, but the incident has once again brought his coaching tactics and behavior into question.