Initial investigation into Mike Babcock has revealed something new that's extremely worrying

According to a report from Frank Seravalli, the players' union is sitting on "significant" additional claims from its own 2023 investigation into Babcock's conduct in Columbus - claims that were never made public.

Those findings were shared with the NHL before Babcock resigned from the Blue Jackets that September.

His departure happened quickly after the phone-photo allegations surfaced on the Spittin' Chiclets podcast, and most coverage at the time treated the resignation as the end of the story.

It wasn't. Babcock stepping away effectively shut down any formal accountability process.

No coach, no job, no investigation to complete. The NHLPA's findings went into a drawer.

Edmonton's aggressive pursuit of Babcock is the first time those buried claims have had any reason to resurface.

TSN's Darren Dreger reported the Oilers consulted with the NHLPA before moving forward, and Frank Seravalli added that the union has specifically asked the NHL to delay the hire until a formal investigation is completed.

The distinction matters. This isn't a union being cautious about old headlines. This is a union that gathered evidence, presented it to the league, and watched it disappear when Babcock walked away.

Now they want that evidence examined properly before he coaches again.

The Oilers don't have time to wait. Connor McDavid's two-year extension starts next season, and after back-to-back Stanley Cup Final losses and a first-round exit to Anaheim, the pressure on this coaching hire is enormous.

Bob Stauffer has already called Babcock's hiring "inevitable."

But inevitable doesn't mean clean. If the NHLPA's unreported findings carry real weight, Edmonton may be forcing a reckoning the league spent three years avoiding.