Mike Babcock Reflects on his time with the Maple Leafs
As he returns to the bench with the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2023-24, former Leafs coach Mike Babcock has been doing some media as of late, and unsurprisingly, Toronto came up quite a lot.
A nasty split
While his time in Toronto wasn't all bad, it's safe to say that the fans and the media were happy when Babcock left, so how does the veteran coach feel about the split and how it was handled?
Do I like how I was talked about after I left? No. Do I think I did anything wrong? Absolutely.
A new start
At this point, it's well known how tough the media, fan and organizational pressure can be with the Maple Leafs, and while Babcock laid the foundation of a team that's now loaded with talent, it was the right move for both sides to part ways.
The interview was surprising however, as he's been silent on anything that happened during this period since his departure, and later in the interview, he revealed just how much he's changed and improved ahead of his Columbus stint.
You're trying to be a better coach, trying to be a better person. 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'.
Now, Babcock will focus on building a bright future in Columbus with Johnny Gaudreau, Patrick Laine and Adam Fantili among others, as it looks like he's moved on from his time in Toronto quite well.
| POLL | ||
August 3 | 15 answers Mike Babcock Reflects on his time with the Maple Leafs Did you think Babcock had a good run in charge of the Leafs? | ||
| Yes | 3 | 20 % |
| No | 12 | 80 % |
| LIST OF POLL | ||
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