Ex-Red Wings Defenseman Discusses Babcock's Bullying of Him
Since being let go by the Toronto Maple Leafs in November 2019, Mike Babcock's bullying instances as a head coach in the NHL have become more discussed among NHL players and media members. Hired to lead the Columbus Blue Jackets in the summer of 2023, Babcock resigned before training camp even got underway. It was evident he never learned to control his bullying tendencies, as that is what the NHLPA's investigation was about.
How they came to be on the same squad
Between the 2010–11 and 2015–16 seasons, Jakub Kindle was a full-time defenseman for the Detroit Red Wings. Late in 2015–16, he was moved to the Florida Panthers. Before returning home to play in Europe, he would play one more NHL season for Florida.
Between 2005 and 2015, Mike Babcock served as the Detroit Red Wings' head coach. Many players from that era have related how Babcoack treated his employees, the media, and Johan Franzen. Most notably Mike Commodore. As time goes on, it appears that more and more people feel comfortable discussing his treatment of others.
Kindl summarizes his time under Babcock
Kidle quoted the following from Bez Frazi, a Czech news website:
«I wasn't his favorite player from the beginning, and even though [Detroit Red Wings GM Ken Holland] liked me, Babcock seemed to constantly test what I could handle and he let me know that he didn't like me as a player. I couldn't stand him as a person.»
«I saw him making jokes with the others, but with me, he barely exchanged a few word. If he did, it was to humiliate me. For example, he once put me on the right side of the defense, and I was looking at the lineup in disbelief. He was just passing by and heard me, so he looked at the lineup and said, 'Yeah, you're on the right side. You have trouble playing on the left, and I'm making it harder for you, right?'"
When the Red Wings and Leafs squared off in November 2015, Kidle was able to exact some sort of retribution on Babcock by scoring the game-winning goal in overtime.
«They knew how hard it was under Babcock. That evening, I received a lot of messages from people all over the club, from chefs, guys who parked our cars, facility personnel, and from the people who worked in offices. They all congratulated me."
As Read On HockeyFeed - Jakub Kindl shares how Mike Babcock «humilated» him
| POLL | ||
OCTOBRE 7 | 89 ANSWERS Ex-Red Wings Defenseman Discusses Babcock's Bullying of Him Will Babcock ever coach in the NHL again? | ||
| Yes | 17 | 19.1 % |
| No | 72 | 80.9 % |
| LIST OF POLLS | ||
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