Mike Babcock is going to be coaching against the Toronto Maple Leafs for the first time since his infamous firing, and his latest comments show he doesn't care.
The Maple Leafs franchise was able to begin its rebuild under the tutelage of Mike Babcock. His coaching got them to the playoffs, although it also came with heavy baggage. One can just look at the Mitch Marner and Nazem Kadri situation to understand that.
In 2019, Babcock was let go by the Leafs as they were all sorts of concerns surrounding his coaching style and how he was treating people.
From there, Babcock was hired by the Columbus Blue Jackets. It was subsequently revealed that he was asking players to see the photos on their phones. This scandal led to him resigning before ever coaching a game.
Fast forward a few years later, and now Babcock is coaching the Edmonton Oilers, who are on a tear right now. On Saturday night, the Maple Leafs will be in town, marking the first time Babs coaches against the Leafs since being fired seven years ago.
When asked about how he feels going up against his former team, he offered up the most Babcock answer humanly possible.
It's about a hundred years ago, right? So, you know, even the Beatles broke up. So you get on with it kind of thing.
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Clearly, Babcock doesn't want any of this to become a distraction. Although by virtue of him being who he is, it absolutely is going to be a distraction, regardless of what he wants or prefers.
Who will win between the Maple Leafs and Oilers
The Maple Leafs are on a three-game winning streak, but the Oilers are by far one of the best offensive teams in the league, especially as Connor McDavid has 31 points in 10 games.
With the Maple Leafs' defense and goaltending lacking some oomph right now, there is no doubt that the Oilers are going to be extraordinarily scary to play against.
If the Leafs want to win, they will need to shut down the Oilers' top two lines, and that is much easier said than done.
Will the Maple Leafs beat Mike Babcock and the Oilers?
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