obey86
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- Jun 9, 2009
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Wings legend Chris Chelios confirmed those speculations in an interview with 97.1 The Ticket’s Jeff Riger during Detroit’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Friday.
“No veteran free agent is going to want to come in and play for Mike Babcock,†Chelios said. “I wanted to because I wanted to stay in Detroit, but no matter what I did — I tried so hard to win his heart over and I just couldn’t.â€
Chelios said the team’s impending move to Little Caesars Arena could help lure some of those players back to the Motor City.
“I think it’s going to help a lot and I think it’s going to help even more that Babs is gone because those free agents really didn’t want to play for Babs,†Chelios said. “It’s nothing personal, but he’s a tough guy to play for, especially for a veteran. If you’re a young guy I think it’s great because of his accountability and if you don’t play [hard] you’re not gonna play.â€
The Red Wings and Babcock would eventually part ways in 2015. He would go on to coach the Toronto Maple Leafs and Detroit promoted Jeff Blashill from Grand Rapids.
“He didn’t like a lot of people,†Chelios said.
http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2017/03...ngs-might-lure-free-agents-now-that-hes-gone/
Chelios confirms what a lot of people have speculated over the years, that vet free agents are often turned off from playing for Babcock. Just found it interesting that an actual member of the Red Wings organization is saying this as a lot of people said it was hogwash. Obviously if you are a great team (which the Red Wings haven't been recently) FA's will want to come regardless of who the coach is, but for the other 20 teams in the NHL that aren't great the coach could definitely be a factor in who decides to play where.