Patrik Laine's Shocking Remarks About His First Meeting with Mike Babcock

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Julien Trekker
July 19, 2023 (11:07)

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The New Babcock?

Mike Babcock's return in the NHL is raising many eyebrows, even though he said he's a changed man.

His old-school coaching style wasn't universally accepted in the past, which led to his retirement in 2022.

Now, as you may know, he's back behind the bench, and some of his players have already voiced their opinions about him.

Laine Sounds Off After Meeting with Babcock

Patrik Laine has a history of conflicts with old-school coaches, notably John Tortorella.

After speaking with Babcock, he seemed off, giving a somewhat robotic answer without revealing the details of their conversation.

«We've talked about it a little bit,» Laine told NHL.com when asked about moving to center. «I've been working on various things, but you never know. I mean, there's always a possibility. It totally depends on what they want, but I'd be open to it.

«We had a good talk. [Babcock is] tough but honest, so I respect that. However, everything we discussed is private, and I'm not going to share it with you.»

He didn't say that something went wrong in the meeting with Babcock, but he sounded somewhat unhappy.

He's still looking forward to getting back into it with Babcock and the other additions in Columbus, notably Adam Fantilli.

«I watched [Fantilli] in the World [Championships]. He seems like a talented young player,» Laine said. «I'm excited to have him here and will try to assist him as much as I can. It's tough to enter the league at 18, especially as a high pick. I've been in a similar situation before.»

The Blue Jackets will be exciting to watch next season!

As seen on Hockey Feed - Laine sounds off on first meeting with Mike Babcock