Around the NHL: Part XVIII

[Amazing Kreiderman]

He didn't ruin the Leafs. They just collectively had had enough and stopped playing for him. Now they're playing well again. There's a '**** you' message to Babcock in that. I do think that any team that would want to hire him should think twice about it and find someone else. Same with Peters.

He ruined the Red Wings. With all these stories coming out now, I can't help but think that the Red Wings downfall, and the exodus of players, was in part due to Babcock's behavior

 

[nyr2k2]

”Den värsta personen jag någonsin träffat”

This is a horrifying account from Frazen himself about what Babcock did to him as a person.

If it wasn't already a done deal, I cannot see Babcock getting a job anywhere again.

That's hard to watch. Really sickening to see good hockey people saying Babcock is a terrible person, and one of the worst they ever met. Just disgusting stuff, really.

Crawford next?

 

[Graves94]

You can be a very tough, demanding coach, but still be a good person while doing so.
Babcock was revered in Canada and made out to be a genius coach, because he sounded like a nice guy in front of the camera and because he won a cup and a few gold medals. He also was involved with National mental illness campaigns, go figure...he fooled many people!
Funny thing is lots of people criticize Tortorella for his public outbursts, but I'm sure he's more of a good human being than people like Babcock and Peters, on and off the ice!

 

[dshea19]

The ideal scenario for me, in a world where the ideal seldom happens, is for the Rangers young talent and roster to make progress, but ultimately just miss the playoffs. IMO, I think that's probably going to happen.

The second part, and the one with the longest odds, is then having this team somehow win the lottery and pick in the top three. That potentially gets them another big piece. I also think it's more or less off to the races after that and after having moved Kreider, Strome and probably a goalie.

The more likely scenario is that at some point, the Rangers use their depth to make a deal for a big piece. If things keep going this way, they'll have the depth to pull off such a move.

I am hoping for the same growth/lottery pick scenario because of the same exact opinion: this team needs one more really high pick/impact player. I don't sweat losses like many people do. I watch the games for the kids to see how they are playing. I also assume that all of this depth will be packaged for a player because, while I do think they will miss the playoffs, the odds of a lottery pick are too small to have any realistic hope of achieving. More wing and center impact is what the Rangers need. Getting Byfield would totally alter the future of this team. Getting into the top 10 would still get a high quality winger. Having multiple 1st round picks gives more shots at stealing another "Chytil" level player.

 

[eco's bones]

He ruined the Red Wings. With all these stories coming out now, I can't help but think that the Red Wings downfall, and the exodus of players, was in part due to Babcock's behavior

Thought about that later and there is something to what you're saying but I'd at least put some of the onus of that on Kenny Holland. The Red Wings were very successful for a long time but they kept their teams together and they moved a lot of top draft picks or picked late in rounds and sometimes didn't pick well. A number of their guys played until they were very old--Lidstrom, Chelios, Draper, Yzerman, Holmstrom, Hasek, Fedorov, Bertuzzi, Datsyuk, Zetterberg, Kronwall, Hull etc. etc. were all pushing 40 if not over 40 by the time they finished. Eventually if you don't have enough young guys who are able to come in and replace the old a major collapse is going to inevitably happen.

The weird thing here is that Franzen's teammates didn't stick up enough for him---or at least that's Chelios' own mea culpa that reopened the Babcock thing. Chelios throughout his career was known as one of the more outspoken players in the league though he was also at the tail end of his career in 2008--pretty much just hanging on. The other weird thing is someone like Shanahan would have known all about Babcock and I'd have to think Lamoriello as well but they hired him to be the Maple Leafs coach anyway.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

The weird thing here is that Franzen's teammates didn't stick up enough for him---or at least that's Chelios' own mea culpa that reopened the Babcock thing. Chelios throughout his career was known as one of the more outspoken players in the league though he was also at the tail end of his career in 2008--pretty much just hanging on. The other weird thing is someone like Shanahan would have known all about Babcock and I'd have to think Lamoriello as well but they hired him to be the Maple Leafs coach anyway.

How much can a player do though? If I remember correctly, Chelios said they told the GM every day they wanted Babcock gone and Holland didn't do anything about it. Can you, as a player, really just afford not to play and lose millions, face suspensions or even a ban from the league?

Holland is just as much to blame for this as Babcock, but in essence, what it comes down to is this: Employees (players) don't risk their livelihood and salary to get their manager fired. Whether it's office workers, factory workers or pro athletes.

 

[Edge]

One of the things to consider is that for better or worse, players tends to operate under a code.

I'm not condoning that approach, or saying that it's always right, but that is something that is typically ingrained into players from an early age. As such, anything short or murder or other heinous actions tends to not be talked about outside of the confines of the organization.

I will tell you there are a lot of things I know from the different places I've worked and clients I've worked with. I wish I could un-know a great deal of it. I think people would probably be surprised by a lot of the stuff that coaches do, and the knowledge that what Babcock did, though not common, isn't unheard of either. Ditto for what Bill Peters did.

I will also tell you that goes double and triple for many of the athletes that people idolize and root for. I can even begin to tell you how weird it can be to read about how crappy people think a certain player is, while thinking someone else seems like a pretty cool dude. And it's hard to respond to some of those comments because I can't be like "Yeah, this dude went out of his way to make sure every one of his teammates was able to get home to see their families when their ride broke down, but you think he's a prick. Meanwhile, this guy liked to roofie women at bars in every city in which he played."

There's A LOT of stuff that goes on behind the scenes. And for better or worse, there's a lot of compliance to keep it out of the public --- not unlike what a lot of individuals. including us, do in our daily lives.

 

[Beer League Sniper]

One of the things to consider is that for better or worse, players tends to operate under a code.

I'm not condoning that approach, or saying that it's always right, but that is something that is typically ingrained into players from an early age. As such, anything short or murder or other heinous actions tends to not be talked about outside of the confines of the organization.

I will tell you there are a lot of things I know from the different places I've worked and clients I've worked with. I wish I could un-know a great deal of it. I think people would probably be surprised by a lot of the stuff that coaches do, and the knowledge that what Babcock did, though not common, isn't unheard of either. Ditto for what Bill Peters did.

I will also tell you that goes double and triple for many of the athletes that people idolize and root for. I can even begin to tell you how weird it can be to read about how crappy people think a certain player is, while thinking someone else seems like a pretty cool dude. And it's hard to respond to some of those comments because I can't be like "Yeah, this dude went out of his way to make sure every one of his teammates was able to get home to see their families when their ride broke down, but you think he's a prick. Meanwhile, this guy liked to roofie women at bars in every city in which he played."

There's A LOT of stuff that goes on behind the scenes. And for better or worse, there's a lot of compliance to keep it out of the public --- not unlike what a lot of individuals. including us, do in our daily lives.

I really hope the bolded is hyperbole, but I know in my gut it's not.

 

[Edge]

I really hope the bolded is hyperbole, but I know in my gut it's not.

Unfortunately, no. It's really not.

And I was working in far more "tame" period in sports, compared to if I came up 20 or even 10 years earlier.

 

[JimmyG89]

 

[LeetchisGod]

Hopefully they'll win enough games to greatly lessen their lottery odds.

 

[Graves94]

Hynes officially fired!

 

[TheBloodyNine]

the summer of shero!

 

[nyr2k2]

Wow Nasreddine is still a guy? That's I cool. I remember him.

 

[TheBloodyNine]

Ya gotta laugh at anyone who looked at the Devils roster at the beginning of the season and thought that was any where near a decent team. Hot dog doo doo from day 1.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

Time for the Devils to go on a win streak so they can finish out of top 10 pick contention. Cmon boys I know you can do it.

Ya gotta laugh at anyone who looked at the Devils roster at the beginning of the season and thought that was any where near a decent team. Hot dog doo doo from day 1.

They still should't be this bad. Not a great roster but everyones underperforming.

 

[JESSEWENEEDTOCOOK]

Devils really named Nas their coach? They must be desperate

 

[HFBS]

No doubt the shmevils didn't want to give the Rangers credit for firing their coach. Their present was a 5-0 first period to Buffalo...

 

[Leonardo87]

 

[Tob]

I can see Claudius Strips in New Jersey after the success of a marquee vet coach in Finbar Diarrheaz. Both were considered defensive coaches if nothing else.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

Devils will continue to suck as long as Shero is there.

 

[TheBloodyNine]

Time for the Devils to go on a win streak so they can finish out of top 10 pick contention. Cmon boys I know you can do it.



They still should't be this bad. Not a great roster but everyones underperforming.

At best they should be just below the playoff bubble. They are not a good team.

 

[bl02]

Thank goodness the Rangers stayed away from Jake Gardiner.

 

[Maximus]

That Alex Tuch guy is pretty dang good at hockey. No I'm not dealing DeAngelo for him as someone suggested but I certainly wouldn't mind him in a Ranger sweater.

 

[RangersFan1994]

Habs 1st win in 8 games tonight was vs Islanders 4-2