Babcock's journey as a head coach began with the Anaheim Ducks many years ago. While he showed promise as a coach, not everyone liked his methods. Sadly, his first stint as a head coach was very short, and the reasons behind it are not surprising, given the stories about how he treated players. This leaves us wondering how he kept getting coaching opportunities over the past decade.
The story goes that during the final pre-season game for the Ducks, a player was calmly taping his stick on the bench when a younger Mike Babcock approached him. Babcock started a conversation by asking the player how great the moment felt, to which the player enthusiastically agreed.
However, what happened next was unexpected. Babcock's words took a sharp turn as he told the player, "Enjoy it; it's the last time you'll ever be on an NHL bench." Even if the player had limited NHL prospects, Babcock's behavior was seen as inappropriate and unprofessional. As a result, he was quickly fired from his coaching role.
This incident marked the start of a bumpy ride for Babcock in the NHL, with turbulent coaching stints in Detroit, Toronto, and finally Columbus. After enduring so much controversy, it seems increasingly unlikely that he will ever return to coaching in the NHL.
