Mike Babcock Breaks the Silence Regarding His Time in Toronto

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Dawson Mckenzie
August 3, 2023 (12:16)

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Mike Babcock has been mired in controversy since his departure from Toronto in 2019. After a lull from the Leafs at the start of the 2019 season, accusations about Babcock's controversial coaching style were unveiled by Leaf players.

Babcock's Response

Babcock recently opened up on how he felt about his departure from Toronto as he starts his new coaching era with the Columbus Blue Jackets.

"Do I like how I was talked about after I left? No,» Babcock told The FAN Morning Show on Thursday. «Do I think I did anything wrong? Absolutely."

It's definitely not a full apology from Babcock, but it does give some insight into his remorse for the situation, as he knows that at least some of his actions were wrong.

Babcock's Personal Life

Babcock has been away from the NHL since 2019. He coached university-level hockey in Canada while on hiatus from the league. He recently was brought on to head the Columbus Blue Jackets bench for the upcoming 2023 season.

Babcock discussed how his time away gave him some perspective on the rat race that is the NHL. He credits this time away as a contributing factor to his own personal growth.

"You're trying to be a better coach, trying to be a better person," he said. "To me, the last three-and-a-half years have been a gift from God. And what I mean by that is, (for) my wife and I and my family, we found so much joy in doing the things you love to do. And when you're in the rat race like I was for a long, long time, I think sometimes you're just spinning so fast. You enjoy that time to breathe a little bit and then you can get outside your body and have a look at who you are and say, �Hey, these are things I've got to improve.

We will soon see whether or not Babcock's personal growth might lead to better results as a head coach. With new talent in Columbus in 3rd overall pick Adam Fantilli, Babcock has the pieces to work with to improve the team.

As read on Marker Zone - "Mike Babcock Gets Brutally Honest About His Time in Toronto"