Mike Babcock

Mike Babcock
Michael "Mike" Babcock, Jr.is a Canadian professional ice hockey head coach, currently serving as head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League. He previously spent 10 seasons as head coach of the Detroit Red Wings, with whom he won the Stanley Cup in 2008 and helped to the Stanley Cup Playoffs every year during his tenure. He holds the record as winningest coach in Red Wings history, surpassing that of Jack Adams. He has also served...
ProfessionCoach
Date of Birth29 April 1963
What they've said is they need things tightened up. They need some accountability. And that's my job.
battle everybody excited foundation great hard huge hung last locker nice opportunity people pictures playoffs quickly saying trying work year
I think everybody realizes that we had a great opportunity. But you find out quickly that last year was last year. There are now nice pictures of the playoffs hung up around the locker room, and people were saying nice things about us and patting us on the back all summer. But now we are trying to reestablish work habits, foundation and identity. I think it makes you more hungry, because we all know how hard it is to get there. It will be a huge battle for us and we are excited about the opportunity to try to get back there.
came great hard ice middle panic people plays puck tons work
It's not like we hadn't had tons of chances, we just weren't finishing. The big thing we wanted to do was not panic and just keep doing what you are doing, get people to the net, work hard at it and let's not be pressing. I thought we managed the puck well and made great plays in the middle of the ice and really came at them with some speed.
columbus nice people
Obviously, Columbus wanted him and it's nice to be where people want you.
ducks hunting league
The league won't be hunting Ducks in camouflage anymore.
capable defensive game good gotten nice offensive plays team tonight
He's good defensively, but tonight he made plays with the puck, which was nice to see. Sometimes as a defensive defenseman on an offensive team they always want you to do more than you're capable of doing. His game has gotten much better with the puck.
legs quicker suddenly
He's got his legs back and suddenly we're a lot quicker team.
tried
He tried and he couldn't get going. I think he'll be fine.
cleared holland ken worried
That's nice, ... but you know, (general manager) Ken Holland told me he's not worried about the start, he's worried about the finish, so that was cleared right up for me.
awhile change far huge impressed observing scheme seems spending stage talent talented trying within
He's a huge talent, and so far I've been very impressed with him. After spending 13 years in Detroit, it's going to take him awhile to get used to what we do, and for us to get used to what he does. We're not trying to change him, but we want him to play within the scheme we play. He's very explosive, very talented and seems very conscientious. He's more in the monitoring stage of observing what we're doing, but once he catches on a little more, then he'll be at the front.
drives gets goes hard magic net puck until
He's got a little magic going on right now. But he goes to the net hard and he competes hard, and that's what he does. He just drives the net every time. We know, and he knows, he doesn't want the puck until he gets to the paint.
courageous lead perceives played team
He's been a courageous competitor. He probably shouldn't have played tonight, but he perceives this as his team and he wanted to lead them.
measured question replace team
Can you replace anybody? Yes. Can you replace him with the same person? No. His contribution to our team is not just measured in what you see, no question about that.
determination determined good great hard played practiced
Good for him. He's played hard, he's practiced hard and when he's on the ice, he's determined out there. That's great for him. It's fantastic. He should feel good.