Mike Babcock brings intensity, attention to detail to U of S Huskies
It might not be the bright lights of the NHL, but Mike Babcock says that doesn’t matter.
“Players are trying hard, trying to get better, working hard. And we’ve got an unbelievable facility here … so that makes it a lot of fun and I’m enjoying it,” Babcock said prior to the University of Saskatchewan Huskies hockey practice Thursday.
Babcock, a Stanley Cup and Olympic gold medal-winning coach, was fired as coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs on Nov. 20, 2019 after a rocky start to the season.
He is now leading the Huskies men’s hockey team. The season is shorter, the arena smaller, and Babcock says academic and on ice performance go hand in hand.
"Is there lots of things in their life different? For sure. These guys are full time students. And that’s what they are here for. Number one, they are a student.
“In saying that, when they are at the rink, their number one focus is being a good player. And so you try to help them do that, and that’s my job to help them with that.”
Intensity and attention to detail are a few words players use to describe playing for Babcock.
“When I came to the U of S, I didn’t expect to be coached by a guy with this pedigree. So to have him on our side, it’s great,” said forward Jared Dmytriw.
“He’s a great guy. You know, when we’re on the ice it is intense, we’re all business. But when were away from the rink and stuff we’re just guys and we like to hang out and relax and kind of decompress,” Dmytriw said.
“It’s hard to remember that he is who he is, because you come to the rink and you just want to work and you want to learn,” said defenceman Evan Fiala.
So far, Babcock says he enjoys spending time with family, with his son helping him on the bench.
There are challenges such as fundraising for the program. However, most importantly, he hopes to play a positive role as these athletes build a foundation for their future.
With only one more weekend of preseason left, what kind of team does Babcock say the Huskies have?
“Our back end is very, very steady, good size, moves the puck well. We seem to have good depth up front. And we’re still trying to figure it out in net right now and we’ll do that over this last weekend.”
The Huskies open the season Oct. 22 against the University of Regina Cougars.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
An emergency slide falls off a Delta Air Lines plane, forcing pilots to return to JFK in New York
An emergency slide fell off a Delta Air Lines jetliner shortly after takeoff Friday from New York, and pilots who felt a vibration in the plane circled back to land safely at JFK Airport.
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
Powerful tornado tears across Nebraska, weather service warns of 'catastrophic' damage
Devastating tornadoes tore across parts of eastern Nebraska and northeast Texas Friday as a multi-day severe thunderstorm event ramped up in the central United States, injuring at least three people.
Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.