In his first media availability since being officially hired as the ninth full-time head coach in Blue Jackets history, Mike Babcock addressed several topics, including today's NHL player and building a culture.
Babcock believes players today are indeed different from players in the past, but said he can't articulate the differences.
"What I do know is, when you have 23 different guys on your team, you need 23 different ways to approach them," Babcock said. "You need a communication plan with each one, a development plan with each one, you need a mental health plan with each one to have success. I couldn’t have said what I just said to you now 10 years ago, because I didn’t know that."
"To me, success is just getting better and being passionate about that. Read what new #CBJ head coach Mike Babcock had to say about success and structure. https://t.co/QTL07aPzSc
— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) July 1, 2023
Since he was fired by the Maple Leafs in 2019, Babcock served as a senior advisor at the University of Vermont and a head coach at the University of Saskatchewan. He said he learned from his experiences in college settings.
"When you go to a university setting, they have all these experts in all these fields, right there," Babcock said. "They help you get better. I had some good relationships with people there and they teach you a lot about the way you communicate. I think it's important that you continue to grow."
As the Blue Jackets transition from a rebuilding team to one that's trying to win, Babcock said that it's going to be a day-by-day process starting with the summer and leading into training camp.
"When you look at a lot of the players from last year, they didn’t have stellar years," Babcock said. "We believe there’s more in those players, plus the players we’ve added, so where can we go? I don’t have the answers for you. I wish I did. I don’t have the answer, I just know that when you do good things in life, good things happen. When you work hard you’re rewarded. And that’s what we’re going to do."
Babcock also said that a good culture starts in the off-season.
"The harder you work," Babcock said. "The luckier you get. So if you do all the work, you eat right, you sleep right, you train right, you come to camp, you're in shape. You get confidence, you feel good about yourself, you don't get injured. You feel lucky those things happen, but you earned it. So that's the first thing that has to happen."
Babcock also said part of culture is setting an example for other players.
"When you're in the weight room, you're showing your teammate you're doing [the] right [thing]," Babcock said. "When you're on the back check, you stop on defense, you show your teammate. To me, we talk about a lot of things in culture, but that is a big part of it, is doing your part to make the whole group better. I mean, we got the facility or I don't know you people ever get to see there, the weight room, the facility, the kitchen, the food. This place is off-the-charts incredible. And so there's no room not to do it right. It's I mean, I saw it yesterday, I couldn't believe how great it is underneath there. So we provide the opportunity, they [have] got to do the work though.”
The Jackets hope that Babcock will instill a culture that leads to winning games, and soon.
