2023-09-10 01:41:12
Mike Babcock, one of the most accomplished coaches in hockey history, takes the reins of the Columbus Blue Jackets this season and gets an NHL job for the first time since being fired by the Toronto Maple Leafs on November 20, 2019.
NHL.com reporter Nicholas J. Cotsonika visited him at his home in suburban Detroit to discuss why he took the job in Columbus, how he plans to communicate with the players this time and what he thinks of the Blue Jackets.
This is the third installment in a series of three articles on Babcock.
BRIGHTON, Michigan – When Mike Babcock analyzes the Columbus Blue Jackets, he doesn’t see a team that finished 31st in the NHL last season and missed the Stanley Cup playoffs for a third straight year.
The coach sees young players like defender Adam Boqvist and forwards Kent Johnson and Kirill Marchenko. He sees players who make the difference like Zach Werenski, Johnny Gaudreau and Patrik Laine. He sees a leader in Boone Jenner, the captain.
And he sees a team that improved over the offseason with the selection of forward Adam Fantilli third overall in the 2023 draft and the acquisition of defensemen Ivan Provorov and Damon Severson.
“They have a lot of kids,” Babcock said. And there are several things that I think can be fixed quickly. »
How does Babcock intend to resolve the problems with the Blue Jackets?
He decided not to analyze last season when he accepted the job on July 1, since injuries played a major role in the Blue Jackets’ woes. It’s better to take a fresh look and give the players a chance to get a fresh start in training camp.
“It wouldn’t have been good for anyone,” he said. Why challenge them on the negative side? Let’s focus on what they do well. We’re going to show up at camp, get to know each other, and get to work. »
The Blue Jackets have been doing research and development in preparation for camp, except Babcock doesn’t use those terms. He prefers to say that he watches what is being done elsewhere to apply it within his team.
“Take an example from the best teams,” he simplified. What are they doing? What leads to victory? Take inspiration from it and do it your way. »
Babcock is realistic. He knows the Blue Jackets can’t emulate the Edmonton Oilers’ power play that set an NHL record at 32.4 percent last season. They don’t have forwards like Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.
That being said, Babcock and his team studied the top four teams in each category targeted by advanced statistics firm Sportlogiq, then analyzed the bottom four teams in playoff contention.
“I went to our advanced statistics specialists and asked them what the metric had the biggest impact on a team’s chances of making the playoffs,” Babcock said. They gave me an answer, and I analyzed everything. This is now the priority for our team. »
Obviously, it will remain secret.
“You can guess,” Babcock said with a smile, “but I won’t tell you anything. »
But Babcock will tell you this:
“Our ability to play in a structured way is going to be very important, as is our way of playing defensively, our way of positioning ourselves in defense, our way of competing,” he listed. But we have to be much more effective in the offensive zone. We have to spend more time in the opposing zone. I have a plan for every aspect. I spent a lot of time on all of this. »
Babcock ranks 12th in NHL history in regular season wins (700) and eighth in playoff wins (90). He won the Stanley Cup (in 2008 with the Detroit Red Wings) and reached Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals twice (in 2003 with the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim and in 2009 with the Red Wings ).
He triumphed at the World Junior Championship (1997), the World Championship (2004) and the Olympic Games (twice, 2010 and 2014) with Canada, and he also won the World Cup of Hockey (2016) with Team Canada.
“We know his return sheet and we know what he accomplished in this league over several years as a coach,” Jenner said. He brings us experience. He’s obviously very intense and he knows exactly how he wants us to play and what he can get out of each player. So it’s very exciting for us. »
Werenski grew up in the Detroit area watching Babcock win with players like Nicklas Lidstrom, Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg.
“He was largely responsible for their success,” Werenski said. I can’t wait for everything to get going so I can see it in action. I think he will quickly lead this team in the right direction and that makes me very excited. »
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Let’s start with the defense and the goaltenders.
The Blue Jackets finished 31st in the NHL in goals once morest per game (4.01), 30th in 5-on-5 shot attempt percentage (44.9) and tied for 30th. for 5-on-5 save percentage (.901) last season. They took 25th place in shorthanded performance (75.1 percent).
But once more, injuries may explain their difficulties. With Provorov and Severson, the situation might change. Babcock wants to introduce a more defined structure and play focused on puck possession, and he wants goaltending coach Niklas Backstrom to be present for every meeting related to defensive zone coverage and the penalty kill.
That should help goaltender Elvis Merzlikins, who went 7-18-2 with a 4.23 goals- once morest average and .876 save percentage last season.
“Suddenly he’s a much better goalkeeper because he knows where [les tirs], Babcock said. Then, the other thing is that it will give him confidence.
“Confidence and mental health are not the same thing. But once your confidence is shaken, how do you feel? So now how do you regain your confidence? It’s interesting. When you look at teams structured in their zone, how do they help their goalie’s save percentage? »
The Boston Bruins, who set NHL records for wins (65) and points (135) last season, led the NHL in save percentage at 5-on-5 (.939). Linus Ullmark won the Vezina Trophy following going 40-6-1 with a 1.89 GAA and .938 save percentage.
The Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights have maintained a 5-on-5 save percentage of .940 in the playoffs. Adin Hill, third or fourth goaltender in the pecking order at the time – depending on how you look at it – posted an 11-4 record with a 2.17 GAA and a .932 save percentage.
“He knew where the shots were coming from,” Babcock summarized. There’s a reason why a goalie on a new team suddenly becomes a much better goalie. It’s like that. I think it gives us all hope. »
The return of Werenski should also help. The 26-year-old guard played 13 games last season before undergoing shoulder surgery. He trained hard in order to be one of the best defensemen in the NHL.
“You can’t be one of the best players if your physical condition doesn’t allow you to be,” Babcock said. You can have all the talent in the world, but your physical condition must allow you to exploit it. He did all the work necessary to get his body ready. For me, he must now be the ringleader, the leader. […] He is also old enough to become one, and he knows it. »
The Blue Jackets finished 30th in goals per game (2.60) and 26th in power play efficiency (18.3 percent) last season.
But they have the assets they need, starting with Gaudreau, who led the team with 74 points (21 goals, 53 assists) in his first season in Columbus. He had his best career season in 2021-22 with a harvest of 115 points (40 goals, 75 assists) under the orders of Darryl Sutter with the Calgary Flames. Not bad for a 5-foot-9, 165-pound player.
“He is a force of nature with this type of size,” noted Babcock. He knows how to play hockey. He is dominant on the power play. He can spot a guy anywhere. And he wants to be dominant. There will be no problem in his case. »
Laine had 52 points (22 goals, 30 assists) in 55 games last season. In 2017-18 with the Winnipeg Jets, in his second season in the NHL, he scored 70 points (44 goals, 26 assists), a personal high. The big question heading into camp: Could Laine be moved to center?
Babcock said he wants to have players who can play 200 feet on every line. Ideally, he would like to have a right-hander and a left-hander capable of taking faceoffs on each line equally.
When he led Canada to the Olympics and World Cup of Hockey, he had eight centers across all four lines because they represented the best players available. When he was at the helm of the Red Wings, Datsyuk wanted to play with players like Zetterberg or Valtteri Filppula so he might create things offensively while representing a reliable unit defensively.
Laine was the second overall pick in the 2016 draft and is right-handed. Fantilli is left-handed.
“It would be really good for me if Laine and Fantilli might play together,” Babcock argued. Two imposing and talented guys. High draft picks pushing each other. One right-handed and one left-handed.
“I don’t know if it’s going to work. I’ve no idea. But that’s the idea. And it’s great because we have a lot of guys who have played center before. […] I love that. I want two on each trio, so it works perfectly. It’s very easy. »
Babcock’s use of Fantilli will be interesting to watch. He led the Maple Leafs when they drafted center Auston Matthews first overall in 2016. Matthews won the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year in 2017 with 69 points (40 goals, 29 assists) in 82 games, and Babcock helped make him a complete player by showing him videos of centers Datsyuk and Zetterberg.
Babcock has led center Patrice Bergeron with four gold medal-winning Canadian teams on the international stage – in 2004 (World Championship), 2010 (Vancouver Olympics), 2014 (Sochi Olympics) and 2016 (Cup of the hockey world). Bergeron set an NHL record by winning the Selke Trophy as the NHL’s top defensive forward six times with the Bruins, before announcing his retirement on July 25. Fantilli mentioned to Babcock that Bergeron is his favorite player.
“For me, it’s a home run because if you think that way, it means you like elements of his game,” Babcock said. Bergeron is the most complete player in history. Guess what I have in store for Fantilli. A panoply of Bergeron sequences. Why not? »
However, that doesn’t mean it will be easy. Fantilli led the NCAA with 65 points (30 goals, 35 assists) in 36 games in his rookie season at the University of Michigan last season and won the Hobey Baker Trophy as MVP, but he didn’t have to face McDavid, Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon or even Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby.
“We passed the puck to you throughout your career,” Babcock said. For what? Because you are better than everyone. But some nights, we’re going to send you into the fray once morest a certain McDavid or MacKinnon or Crosby. And do you know what they’re going to do? They won’t let you have the puck. They’re going to make it personal. They’re going to show you who’s calling the shots on the ice. »
How does Babcock plan to deal with Fantilli at first?
“I’m going to put him on a line and I’m going to watch him closely,” Babcock replied. I’ll keep an eye on him at training camp and do everything I can to help him be successful. This kid is competitive, and not half competitive, so that part doesn’t worry me at all.
“That said, some nights in the National Hockey League, you get dominated, even when you’re a good player. But if you have confidence, take a deep breath and get back to work the next day. »
Babcock takes as an example Steve Yzerman, who played his final season in the NHL under Babcock with the Red Wings in 2005-06 and who worked with him in the Red Wings management from 2006 to 2009 and as director general of Team Canada in 2010 and 2014.
“He used to tell me, ‘All you have to do in hockey is prepare for your next shift. Take a deep breath, be present, come back, breathe. If you have a bad presence, you can redeem yourself immediately. Fix what’s not working,” Babcock recalled. It’s the same process for Fantilli. We will have to continue to help him once more and once more. »
* * * * *
Werenski notices something when he sees Babcock at the arena.
“He has lots of energy,” says Werenski. It makes a big difference over a full season, in the cold winter months, when the games are less exciting and when there is still half a season left. […] I like that aspect so far, the energy he brings to the arena. »
Babcock is full of energy, even when he’s relaxing in what he calls his “tiki bar” near the lake at home. The 60-year-old man, who promised his wife that he would retire at 60, can talk regarding hockey for hours when he might occupy himself otherwise.
He makes no promises or predictions. He has no timetable to turn things around for the Blue Jackets. But he’s back in the NHL, he has a new challenge and he’s motivated as always.
“We will be ultra-prepared, ultra-organized, and we come to work, so even if the score is not in our favor at the end of the match, we can at least be proud when we leave the arena,” said Babcock. . This will be true for everyone, starting with our leaders Werenski, Gaudreau and Laine. They’re going to do things the right way. We know Jenner works the right way. The big players are going to lead the ship – we’ve talked regarding that – so that will be our approach.
“Then we’ll see what happens. »
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