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Ex-Maple Leafs defenseman details disgusting treatment from Mike Babcock
Photo credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Former Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Tyson Barrie told a pretty brutal story about Mike Babcock that just goes to show the Leafs were right to fire the head coach.
If you are a Toronto Maple Leafs fan, or even just an acutely aware NHL fan, then you know the horrors of the Mike Babcock era in Toronto.
In the midst of Auston Matthews, William Nylander, and Mitch Marner's development, Babcock was an absolute tyrant who sought to embarrass his best players while throwing others under the bus.
One just has to look at the Mitch Marner and Nazem Kadri situation to understand what we are talking about. Babcock forced Marner to name the laziest player on the team, and Kadri got caught in the crossfire.
Meanwhile, Kadri was eventually traded to the Colorado Avalanche in 2019, while the Leafs got themselves defenseman Tyson Barrie in return. Barrie played just one season with the team and had 39 points in 70 games.
Tyson Barrie describes first time meeting Mike Babcock
Recently, Barrie was on the Empty Netters Podcast where he got to talk about his time in Toronto, and how Babcock greeted him upon his arrival in the city.
As Barrie explains, he did not get a particularly welcoming impression of Babcock. When they met for the first time, the head coach told him that the Kadri trade was not something he would have done. Right off the bat, Barrie felt as though his own coach didn't want him.
When you consider how Babcock's career has played out over the last decade, this story from Barrie is not surprising in the least. In fact, it's quintessential Babcock.
Where did Mike Babcock go after the Toronto Maple Leafs?
Following Babcock's firing in Toronto, he eventually went on to coach the University of Saskatchewan Huskies, which is a Canadian U Sports team.
After spending two seasons with the Huskies, Babcock was hired by the Columbus Blue Jackets. However, after being exposed for demanding to see the camera roll of his players, he was eventually ousted before coaching a single game.
Now, Babcock is a pariah in the NHL, and it is hard to imagine a world in which he ever gets another job again.
| POLL | ||
NOVEMBRE 26 | 421 ANSWERS Ex-Maple Leafs defenseman details disgusting treatment from Mike Babcock Was Mike Babcock one of the worst hires in the history of the Toronto Maple Leafs? | ||
| YES | 275 | 65.3 % |
| NO | 146 | 34.7 % |
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