Not so fast, everyone.

The Edmonton Oilers might be saved from themselves before they make the most controversial coaching hire since… well, maybe ever, considering the profile of Mike Babcock and how often the word “scumbag” is used to describe him.

But as we know, the Oilers resist normalcy the same way P.K. Subban resists a simple suit and tie. There’s always something cooking.

Bob Stauffer’s pronouncement on Monday sounded definite to my ears. The hiring seemed fait accompli. Each pillar of the organization is on board, we’ve been told. As quickly as the news dropped, Oilers fans were forced to react to the idea that Babcock wasn’t just a consideration but the answer.

Or, in Stauffer’s words — inevitable, 100 per cent — Babcock is the man. 

But the caveat that the powers that be must sign off first, which seemed initially like a bit of dotting t’s and crossing i’s, could be a thorny issue on the Babcock front. 

On Tuesday night, we learned more. Multiple insiders outlined the next steps, as the NHL and NHL Players’ Association will now join Edmonton in the Babcock Zone and see whether, once and for all, this is even a possibility. 

The NHLPA wants a full investigation and is requesting the league start one. Elliotte Friedman also chimed in with reporting to clarify what happened three years ago and where we stand today. 

While most remember the gist of what happened in Columbus with Babcock – requesting to look at his players’ phones,........

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