I have always wondered if a decent portion of Canada's thoughts on Babcock have gone up and down as his stock rose and fell with the Toronto based media?
He did have decent success in Anaheim with an average team and did take them to the finals. No small feat.
He then parlayed that success into his job in Detriot. He had 5 very strong seasons there and although his teams were stacked and the organization was strong, they did play a style of hockey that was a little ahead of it's time. Puck possession, north south, quick transition etc.
He did land the Team Canada job for 2010 and I don't know too many people who would argue with that call, it wasn't a poor choice. He won Gold with a stacked club, no doubt but he won. Who else would you give the 2014 job to? He won again.
He goes to Toronto as a savior, the same Toronto that thought GM Brian Burke was the cat's A**. Elite Coach and GM we are told. The best there is! When it flakes out and everybody wants to look smart, they throw water at everybody. You leave Toronto as hot garbage, incapable of holding a hockey stick let alone running a bench or a club.
It's wild out there and with the Canadian media. Sometimes they way they build up these guys you would think they are referring to the Scotty Bowman's or the Bill Belichick of the world, it's wild.
Anyhow, I have no doubt in my mind that he will resurface somewhere and he will have some success for sure. He knows the game and I am sure he may have changed a bit too. People mellow out and generally will learn.
Until than, I am sure he is doing fine collecting his large chq and enjoying his downtime, we all would.
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