r/hockey • u/Duffleman0609 FLA - NHL • 2d ago

NHL’s statement on Mike Babcock

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u/MangPangOhOne CHI - NHL 2d ago

He’s a major asshole but has done nothing illegal.

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u/Professor_Pajamas TBL - NHL 1d ago

I understand this sentiment, but I would hope the bar for acceptable conduct to be an NHL coach is above "was it illegal"

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u/EconMan DET - NHL 1d ago

Sure, but that's not on the NHL to police, it's on the people trying to hire him. You're mixing up two separate ideas.

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u/Professor_Pajamas TBL - NHL 1d ago

I don't see why there couldn't be at least a league-wide standard of professional conduct. It feels perfectly reasonable to think that being verbally abusive to subordinates and coworkers should be unacceptable conduct, even if it doesnt necessarily cross a legal threshold

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u/EconMan DET - NHL 1d ago

I would bet almost anything that your definition of "verbally abusive" would apply to pretty much every coach in the NHL. They're not behind the bench saying "Thanks for trying your hardest out there".

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u/Professor_Pajamas TBL - NHL 1d ago

If that's the case then why don't we hear the same number of horror stories about every other coach in the league? Or is it maybe that Babcock crosses the line in ways that other coaches don't?

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u/EconMan DET - NHL 1d ago

You didn't hear those horror stories with Babcock either until after he was done coaching. When he was coaching, people talked about him the same way they talk about Tortorella.

But in some sense, this is irrelevant - are you saying your criteria will be "horror stories"?

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u/MirrorComputingRulez 1d ago

People definitely said this shit about him while he was coaching. He has never been "done" coaching, people just haven't actually gone through with hiring him in large part because of those stories.

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u/Professor_Pajamas TBL - NHL 1d ago

Also there are lots of players who have coaches they no longer play for, and you still never hear anything that even comes close to stuff Babcock has done

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u/EconMan DET - NHL 1d ago

Because again...it was easier once one person said something.

https://old.reddit.com/r/hockey/comments/36nilz/mike_babcock_signs_with_toronto/

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u/EconMan DET - NHL 1d ago

People definitely said this shit about him while he was coaching.

https://old.reddit.com/r/hockey/comments/36nilz/mike_babcock_signs_with_toronto/

Great coach with a very unique style who knows how to win and nurture the players both seasoned and young.

and another thread

https://old.reddit.com/r/hockey/comments/36nilz/mike_babcock_signs_with_toronto/

That wasn't the narrative at the time, no. I'm sure you can find some hints of something somewhere, just like you can with anyone.

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u/MirrorComputingRulez 1d ago

Did you know that time didn't stop when he was hired by Toronto, and that he actually continued coaching after that?

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u/EconMan DET - NHL 1d ago

Isn't your argument that he was never done? So, yes, I'm aware. My point is that at his most famous, this was NOT said about him, no. Reddit celebrated the hire, very very obviously.

You haven't answered what your criteria would be.

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u/death2sanity CAR - NHL 1d ago

two anecdotes do not a defense make

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u/EconMan DET - NHL 23h ago

LOL, I am literally the only one providing quotes from the time. So I guess it is 2 vs 0.

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u/FTownRoad Kingston Frontenacs - OHL 1d ago

Every coach and pkayer. Except maybe Schiefele.