Babcock Describes Plan in Place to Ensure Better Relations with Players

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TJ Tucker
September 8, 2023 (4:09 PM)

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With Mike Babcock set to return to an NHL bench for the first time since 2019, he's insisting there's a plan in place to ensure mistakes made in the past don't happen again. Following his firing by the Toronto Maple Leafs, several stories came out about alleged brutal treatment of players. Babcock tells NHL.com he now know his communication methods were terrible.

"We're also going to have a communication contract, because I learned that I was brutal at it, and I thought I was good at it."

Babcock said he's getting help from experts at the University of Ohio, and also talking to each player individually.

"I want them to tell me how they want to be talked to, how they want to meet. Some guys don't ever want to come into your office. Are you getting them a coffee? Are you getting them under the stands on the way out? I used to skate around with guys before (practice), but now if you skate around with a guy, there's an article (written about it), so you can't do that."

"I want to treat you with the utmost respect. My intention is going to be kind. But I want you to maximize what the good Lord gave you. I want you to push. I promise you this year in Columbus we're going to work, I promise you, so you have to buy into that."

Babcock said in the interview that he also wants to focus on things other than hockey when talking to players, like their mental health.

"You and I get together," Babcock says. "'How's your mental health?' 'I'm not doing very good.' 'OK, are we talking to somebody? Do we have your own person? Have we talked to our guy? What steps are we taking?'"

"You can think of nothing worse than suffering in silence. Sometimes because of the stigma, people say they don't want to share. Well, actually, the more you talk about it, the more you share, the better you feel, and if you've got someone to share with and get ideas, that's a positive thing. Open up the dialogue is what I'm basically saying. On a consistent basis."

Babcock went on to say that he now knows he crossed the line a few times while dealing with players in the past, and he doesn't want it to ever happen again. In fact, he wants players to tell him straight-up if they feel he's gone too far on something.

Source: NHL.com