So I don't know much about him, but I keep seeing Babcock's name associated with the Rangers? Why does everyone hate him so much? Wasn't he always beloved with Detroit and Toronto? I honestly didn't really follow him much while in Toronto.
- TPC

The players hated him.

So I don't know much about him, but I keep seeing Babcock's name associated with the Rangers? Why does everyone hate him so much? Wasn't he always beloved with Detroit and Toronto? I honestly didn't really follow him much while in Toronto.
- TPC

Players couldn't stand him, he made Mitch Marner when he was a rookie write a list of all the players he thought he was better than and give it to him, then read it out to the team. Healthy Scratched Mike Modano one of the last few games of the season knowing he needed to play every one of them to hit 1500 career NHL games. He's a piece of garbage.

Players couldn't stand him, he made Mitch Marner when he was a rookie write a list of all the players he thought he was better than and give it to him, then read it out to the team. Healthy Scratched Mike Modano one of the last few games of the season knowing he needed to play every one of them to hit 1500 career NHL games. He's a piece of garbage.
- newenglandpuck

Commodore has a story, Franzen has a story, Chelios has a story. Hes a tyrant. Not just to players, arena staff also apparently.

ok so no Babcock then

ok so no Babcock then
- TPC

Bab cock

Players couldn't stand him, he made Mitch Marner when he was a rookie write a list of all the players he thought he was better than and give it to him, then read it out to the team. Healthy Scratched Mike Modano one of the last few games of the season knowing he needed to play every one of them to hit 1500 career NHL games. He's a piece of garbage.
- newenglandpuck

Keenan did this same kind of poop

Keenan did this same kind of poop
- jimbro83

Yeah, with Amonte, he's another one.

Commodore has a story, Franzen has a story, Chelios has a story. Hes a tyrant. Not just to players, arena staff also apparently.
- aecliptic

The best story though, and I forget the player, but the guy was playing in the AHL and they were playing in the Ducks old arena when Babs was the coach for the Ducks and Babs was in the arena to watch the game. Before the game the kid is sitting on the bench taping his stick and soaking it all in and Babcock walks out there

Babs: "Pretty nice rink, eh?"
Kid: "Oh yea this is amazing"
Babs: "Well enjoy it because this will be the last time you ever play a game in an NHL arena"

Such an a-hole but that's hilarious

The best story though, and I forget the player, but the guy was playing in the AHL and they were playing in the Ducks old arena when Babs was the coach for the Ducks and Babs was in the arena to watch the game. Before the game the kid is sitting on the bench taping his stick and soaking it all in and Babcock walks out there

Babs: "Pretty nice rink, eh?"
Kid: "Oh yea this is amazing"
Babs: "Well enjoy it because this will be the last time you ever play a game in an NHL arena"

Such an a-hole but that's hilarious
- SkjeiStadium

Let’s assume for arguments sake that’s true. That’s (frank)ing psychotic. The same type of underlying psychological issues that produce serial killers

Let’s assume for arguments sake that’s true. That’s (frank)ing psychotic. The same type of underlying psychological issues that produce serial killers
- picklerick

Considering what we've built here, that maniac is the last person I want coaching this team.

Players couldn't stand him, he made Mitch Marner when he was a rookie write a list of all the players he thought he was better than and give it to him, then read it out to the team. Healthy Scratched Mike Modano one of the last few games of the season knowing he needed to play every one of them to hit 1500 career NHL games. He's a piece of garbage.
- newenglandpuck

I believe the Marner situation was a little worse than this even. It wasn't a list of players he thought he was better than. It was a list of players he thought weren't giving their all!! And then the SOB reads it out to the room!

I believe the Marner situation was a little worse than this even. It wasn't a list of players he thought he was better than. It was a list of players he thought weren't giving their all!! And then the SOB reads it out to the room!
- Tonybere

Yea that’s called psychological abuse. And clearly he targeted young players

Let’s assume for arguments sake that’s true. That’s (frank)ing psychotic. The same type of underlying psychological issues that produce serial killers
- picklerick

The story was told on the Spittin Chiclets podcast. If I remember correctly the guy was one of Biz's friends. I'd imagine it's true.

I don't want him anywhere near this team, just thought it was a funny story.

I believe the Marner situation was a little worse than this even. It wasn't a list of players he thought he was better than. It was a list of players he thought weren't giving their all!! And then the SOB reads it out to the room!
- Tonybere

I'll pre-empt this by saying that I want nothing to do with Babs, but he spoke about this directly and said he f'd up. What happened from his POV (which is obviously biased but sounds somewhat reasonable, although still not ok to me) is that he asked Marner in a private conversation to rank where he stands on the team in terms of effort level. Marner did it and then the next guy comes in (I want to say it was Morgan Reilly, but could be misremembering) and he asked him to do the same thing. Once Reilly gave his answer he showed him Marner's to compare. After that he pulled Marner aside and said "I f'd up, I will address this with the team if you want" and Mitch said no don't worry about it let's just move on.

Again, who knows what actually happened, and either way keep him away from this team, but just offering a different perspective.

I'll pre-empt this by saying that I want nothing to do with Babs, but he spoke about this directly and said he f'd up. What happened from his POV (which is obviously biased but sounds somewhat reasonable, although still not ok to me) is that he asked Marner in a private conversation to rank where he stands on the team in terms of effort level. Marner did it and then the next guy comes in (I want to say it was Morgan Reilly, but could be misremembering) and he asked him to do the same thing. Once Reilly gave his answer he showed him Marner's to compare. After that he pulled Marner aside and said "I f'd up, I will address this with the team if you want" and Mitch said no don't worry about it let's just move on.

Again, who knows what actually happened, and either way keep him away from this team, but just offering a different perspective.
- SkjeiStadium

Considering if you google "players hate Mike Babcock" and the list that follows, Ill take what Babcock says as horsecrap.

Considering if you google "players hate Mike Babcock" and the list that follows, Ill take what Babcock says as horsecrap.
- aecliptic

The other stories are definitely worse (Modano/Franzen) and I have no sympathy for the guy. That doesn't mean that everything he does is malicious. Like I said I take what he said with a massive grain of salt but his version of the story sounds more likely to me than the report that came out by the Toronto media right after he was fired.

It still doesn't paint him in a good light by any means but it's a little bit different than reading Mitch's list to the locker room like the starting lineup.

Like I said though, who knows what the real story is and he certainly hasn't earned any benefit of the doubt in these scenarios so anyone that calls that story crap I can't argue with. I just think this particular story, while wrong, was blown out of proportion a little bit.

What’re the odds we trade for jack drury now

What’re the odds we trade for jack drury now
- picklerick

lol. Looks like hes projected to be a middle 6 center.

lol. Looks like hes projected to be a middle 6 center.
- aecliptic

If he's good at faceoffs, I'll take it!

If he's good at faceoffs, I'll take it!
- Fenrir

This was not meant to be serious. Keep it in your pants

This was not meant to be serious. Keep it in your pants
- picklerick

Too late!

What’re the odds we trade for jack drury now
- picklerick

Think they’ll take Olaf for him? Olaf was drafted before him which makes him better. What a dumb fing pick even 3 years later.

Joey Keane debuted for Carolina last night, actually had more TOI than Brady Skjei

Gauthier for Keane may be one that comes back to haunt us a bit down the road

but Keane still wouldn't be ahead of Lundqvist, Schneider, Jones on our depth chart

the one thing that sucks is that Keane is still exempt from expansion draft while Gauthier isn't

Joey Keane debuted for Carolina last night, actually had more TOI than Brady Skjei

Gauthier for Keane may be one that comes back to haunt us a bit down the road

but Keane still wouldn't be ahead of Lundqvist, Schneider, Jones on our depth chart

the one thing that sucks is that Keane is still exempt from expansion draft while Gauthier isn't
- jimbro83

It is nothing, Jim.
There isn’t room for either of them to do more than fill in for injured players here. And I am fine with Seattle ending our discussions about Gauthier.

JD and Torts to Buffalo? Is it worth putting any stock into this?

If this happens, you think JD will give Dolan the ..!., and tell him he will never trade Eichel to the Rangers? OR if he does, knowing how desperately Dolan wants Eichel undresses the franchise for pieces? Or do they not trade Eichel at all and Eichel sees JD and Torts as a possible changing of culture in Buffalo.